Six Keys for Blazers in Do-Or-Die Game 6
The Trail Blazers' season is on the line at Moda Center on Thursday night. Here are six keys for Portland to beat the Denver Nuggets in a do-or-die Game 6.
Jusuf Nurkic Being Judicious With Fouls
Nurkic fouled out with four minutes left in regulation of Game 5, forcing the Blazers to load to the strong side or flat-out double-team Nikola Jokic in the post during the game's most critical moments. The MVP frontrunner feasted on Portland's defense late with Enes Kanter, Robert Covington and Carmelo Anthony guarding him, scoring himself or creating catch-and-shoot opportunities for teammates.
It's impossible to say for sure that the Blazers win Game 5 if Nurkic was available for crunch-time. What's absolutely certain, though, is that he could have avoided fouling out altogether. Not a single one of Nurkic's six called fouls on Tuesday night came when he was trying to slow down Jokic one-on-one.
Nurkic was whistled for two moving screens on dribble hand-offs, backed hard into Jokic's chest from the post for a charge and needlessly shoved his former teammate while he was going to set a ball screen.
Those fouls, questionable as Portland insists they were, just can't happen. Nurkic needs to use every one of his six fouls tangling with Jokic on defense or helping his teammates at the rim. Any others are a waste.
The good news? Nurkic knows it. And with the Blazers on the brink of elimination, he must appeal to that better judgment.
Win the Non-Jokic Minutes
Portland, believe it or not, did better than survive when Nurkic's early foul trouble forced Kanter into the game for an extended third-quarter stint. The Blazers were plus-five over that timeframe, turning a three-point deficit upon Kanter's entrance into a 94-92 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Jokic was minus-two in Game 5 – an incredible boon for Portland, especially considering Nurkic's foul trouble. But that means the Blazers lost the 12 minutes of game time when Jokic was on the bench, beset by the shooting struggles of C.J. McCollum and Carmelo Anthony as well as poor defensive rebounding.
Obviously, Portland can't count on outscoring Denver with Jokic on the floor again, even if Nurkic is able to mirror him. A commitment to doing the little things will go a long way toward the Blazers' bench – far more talented than the Nuggets' – compensating by winning their stints. Behind a raucous home crowd, the offense should come.
C.J. McCollum Fulfilling His Promise
Moments after losing one of the most dramatic games of his career, McCollum didn't deflect from or make excuses for his subpar performance. Instead, he came damn close to issuing a guarantee for the next time he took the floor.
"Me specifically, I have to be better for this team and for him," McCollum said of Damian Lillard, "and I will be."
McCollum's worn blinders offensively at many points throughout this series. Don't anticipate him suddenly focusing on playmaking Thursday night, even when clear passing lanes present themselves.
What makes McCollum special is what he did to Denver two years ago, closing out the Nuggets on their home floor in Game 7 with a series of isolation scores en route to 37 points. Expect him to try and tap into that again with Portland's back against the wall.
Even if McCollum isn't dominating to that extent, though, a couple more made catch-and-shoot jumpers could prove enough.
Sustained Intensity and Execution Defensively
All Lillard could talk about in the lead-up to Game 5 was matching or exceeding the Nuggets' competitive edge – on defense, most importantly. Then he helped dig Portland's early 22-point hole with his most lethargic, damaging defensive effort all season long.
Lillard wasn't the only culprit. The Blazers were casual getting back in transition, lax on the defensive glass and unwilling to make the hustle plays befitting the stakes of the playoffs. They were inconsistent going under ball screens, and not nearly precise enough zoning up behind Jokic post-ups.
There's no time or space for letting up defensively, even for just a moment, against a team led by Jokic in an elimination game.
Portland had the sustained sense of urgency in Game 4 that it was missing on Tuesday. If they can't muster it again for Game 6 at Moda Center, the Blazers won't deserve to live to fight another day.
Norman Powell Attacking the Rim
Powell was guarded by Facundo Campazzo for much of Game 5. The 30-year-old rookie is a relentless, cagey defender with quick feet and active hands, but just isn't big or athletic enough to keep Powell out of the paint if the latter has a head of steam.
The Blazers made a concerted effort to get him going early in Game 4, and it paid off with the return of "Playoff Powell." He enjoyed similar success in transition at times in Game 5, with hard-charging pushes that helped Portland claw back from its early deficit.
Whether in the halfcourt or transition, it's imperative Powell puts pressure on the rim Thursday night. Not only does Portland need his points, but the attention his north-south aggressiveness commands opens up other opportunities for his teammates.
Regression to the Shooting Mean
Austin Rivers, Monte Morris and Markus Howard totaled 11 threes in Game 5, shooting 52.3 percent. McCollum, Powell and Anthony, meanwhile, combined for 4-of-20 from beyond the arc.
It's not like all those attempts from the Blazers were difficult, either. McCollum, Powell and Anthony each missed at least two corner threes. The majority of the others were catch-and-shoot tries shooters of their caliber expect to cash.
It's a make-or-miss league. With Rip City behind them and Lillard setting them up, don't be surprised if jumpers from Portland's supporting cast fall on Thursday the way they didn't 48 hours ago.