Michael Porter Jr. didn’t want the Nuggets to go back to Los Angeles for Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series. He said it might’ve been spooky if they did.

So on Monday night when Denver faced a third-quarter deficit against the Lakers, Porter took it upon himself to make sure his team wasn’t preparing for another plane ride.

Down by four points, Porter drove to the rim for a layup. Moments later, he had the ultimate green light, catching a pass from Nikola Jokic and draining a corner 3-pointer that cut Denver’s deficit to one.

Jamal Murray’s game-winning jumper secured Denver a spot in the second round and continued the Nuggets’ dominance over Los Angeles. But Porter’s impressive shooting effort, which had been on display throughout the series, helped set Murray up to be the hero in the 108-106 victory in Game 5.

“I was knocking down shot (after) shot. I’ve done that my whole career,” Porter said.

As Denver struggled to find offense in the first round against the Lakers, Porter was a model of consistency. He averaged 22.8 points per game while shooting over 50% from the floor.

Against Los Angeles in Game 5, he scored 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Not only was he a sniper from the 3-point line, he attacked the rim and showcased his entire offensive bag.

“Michael Porter’s offense in this series was incredible,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “Buckets were hard to come by but Michael hit some timely shots. And when he didn’t have his shot, he was able to get downhill and get pressure on the rim.”

Whenever the Nuggets struggled or were in a tight situation, they turned to Porter.

Denver was down by six in the first quarter when Porter’s 3-pointer ignited a 10-0 scoring run that gave the Nuggets a four-point lead at the end of the frame.

In the third quarter, as the Lakers attempted to grow a three-point halftime lead, Porter scored 12 points to push Denver ahead. With 1:35 left in the third, Aaron Gordon found Porter wide-open on the corner, where he buried a 3-pointer to give Denver a 74-69 lead.

In the fourth quarter when Lakers guard Austin Reaves scored a go-ahead basket, Porter answered by knocking down his fifth 3-pointer on the other end.

“Every time we needed a big shot (or) went on a drought, he was there,” Gordon said. “(He’s) so solid.”

The Nuggets’ two-man game of Murray and Jokic has been a driving force of their success. But in Denver’s quest to repeat as champions, it might require Porter to continue being a microwave scorer.

Up next is a second-round series against the Timberwolves, one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Porter shot 46% from the floor and 38.1% from deep in four games against Minnesota during the regular season. His steady performance against the Lakers offers hope he’s ready to rise to the challenge.

“He settled us (down) all series long,” Gordon said.

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Denver Nuggets starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope departed the first quarter of the defending champions’ ongoing contest Monday night against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.

He appeared to turn his left ankle, and could not quite move off the court under his own power, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports. He departed the floor and made a beeline straight for Denver’s locker room.

As has been the case for much of this series, the Nuggets have struggled in all of their first quarters against Los Angeles. The team has already coughed up the ball for five live-ball turnovers just in this ongoing opening frame. That said, following a 10-0 Denver run to close the quarter, the Nuggets have a 28-24 edge after the first period.

Allie LaForce of TNT reports that Caldwell-Pope has suffered an ankle strain officially, and is questionable to return. Backup combo guard Reggie Jackson, who would have gotten the nod for major minutes behind Caldwell-Pope, is still dealing with his own major ankle injury and, though he is playing for Monday’s contest, is limited, per LaForce.

Losing one of their best two-way talents in Caldwell-Pope, Caldwell-Pope of course won his first of two titles (so far) with the Lakers in 2020 before being flipped to the Washington Wizards as part of the ill-fated Russell Westbrook trade. He later was shipped to Denver, with whom he won a title last year.

Caldwell-Pope currently has zero points on 0-of-3 shooting, plus one assist.

More Lakers: Jamal Murray’s Status Revealed For LA-Denver Game 5

The Los Angeles Lakers fight to keep their season alive yet again against the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 tonight. There are some new names listed on the report and a very important one for Denver.

The Denver Nuggets have three players listed on their injury report: Jamal Murray, Reggie Jackson, and Vlatko Cancar. Jamal Murray is questionable due to a left calf strain, he has never been listed on an injury report throughout the entire series until now. Reggie Jackson is probable with a left ankle sprain. Vlatko Cancar is out due to left knee surgery. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are both listed as available against the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers have five players listed on their injury report: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt. LeBron James is probable with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy, Anthony Davis is probable with a left wrist sprain, Jalen Hood-Schifino is out due to lumbar disc surgery, Cam Reddish is out due to a right ankle sprain, and Jarred Vanderbilt is questionable with a right midfoot sprain. Christian Wood has been upgraded from out to available, and Jarred Vanderbilt has been upgraded from out to questionable.

The sooner that the Nuggets can finish this series, the better – especially, with Jamal Murray’s new and sudden calf strain.

The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers face off at 10:00 p.m. EST tonight.

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