What do the Denver Nuggets need to do to win this series?

Without Jamal Murray, the Nuggets are missing a key offensive weapon, but everybody else on this Denver team has elevated their play and as a result, this team is playing some of the best basketball they have played all year long! Nikola Jokic has continued to prove why he is going to be this year’s MVP, but without guys like Austin Rivers and Monte Morris, the Nuggets would not have won their previous series against Portland. 

Rivers started every game for the Nuggets in their previous series, averaging 11.5 points, 2.3 assists and he shot 48.4% from three-point range. Monte Morris came off-the-bench in every single game against the Blazers last round and he averaged 15.3 points and 5.8 assists while shooting 41.7% from three-point range. 

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As a team, Denver has shot 40.6% from three-point range in these playoffs, which is a big reason why they are going to put up a great fight against the 2-seeded Suns. Denver is not a “pushover” team by any means and if you let your guard down, they can put up points in a hurry! 

Not only are Rivers and Morris playing some of the best basketball they have played all year long, but Michael Porter Jr. is starting to get hot and he is the key for this Denver team. Standing just under 7-feet tall, MPJ has done a great job this year getting to his spots and knocking down multiple shots in succession of each other. 

He is shooting 41.5% from three-point range this postseason and in Game 6 against the Blazers, Porter Jr. 26 points on 6-12 shooting from three-point range. When he gets going, MPJ is virtually impossible to stop, which is why he is the key guy not just in this series against the Suns, but the key to Denver possibly winning the Western Conference for the first-time in franchise history. 

Michael Porter Jr. is going to have to be great for the Nuggets in this series, but Denver is also going to have to play physical defense against the Suns. Who knows if Chris Paul will be 100% in this series, but nonetheless, they will need to do their best to keep the Suns out of the paint. 

Both Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton were great in their first-round series against the Lakers, getting into the paint and controlling the glass on both ends of the court, which is why Denver will need to double these guys and force someone else to beat them.