OKLAHOMA CITY — Michael Porter Jr. is shouldering the blame for the Nuggets’ 3-2 series deficit, even if he physically can’t.
Without mention of his left shoulder injury, Porter said he was at fault for Denver’s Game 5 loss to the Thunder in brief comments made to The Denver Post late Tuesday night.
“We’ve played well enough to win the last two games,” Porter said at his locker room stall. “A lot of the reason we lost is because I’m not helping contribute. And that’s tough. That’s really tough. I’m looking at myself individually and how I can try to help the team win, because I haven’t been doing that. I haven’t been contributing in any way right now.”
Porter, 26, posted nearly identical stat lines in Games 4 and 5 of the second-round playoff series. He shot 1 for 7 from the field and 0 for 5 outside the arc in both games, scoring three points in Game 4 and two points in Game 5.
After Jalen Williams put the Thunder ahead 106-103 with 1:19 remaining Tuesday, the Nuggets called a timeout to set up their offense. The shot they generated was a game-tying 3-point attempt for Porter, who missed with 1:08 to go.
That turned out to be their last opportunity to pull even. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander buried a triple at the other end. Then Porter airballed another 3-point try on Denver’s next possession, effectively ending whatever slim chance remained.
“Nobody wants to miss shots, of course, and he’s probably one of the best shooters in the league,” said Nikola Jokic, who scored 44 points in the loss. “When he cannot make shots, he is definitely frustrated with himself. But he’s open. He needs to take it. We want him to take a shot. Keep shooting.”
The Nuggets don’t have many other options. Porter is their third-highest paid player, a 6-foot-10 marksman who’s 40.6% from the 3-point line in his career. In his series, he has missed 20 of 27 attempts (26%) for 7.2 points per game.
Since the first round, Porter has been playing with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder — an injury that team athletic trainers told him would ordinarily require a four- or five-week recovery. Teammates have roundly supported him throughout the playoffs, as the results of his pain have been inconsistent. “He has all my respect,” Aaron Gordon said recently. “I know the AC joint. It’s not fun. Not fun. So I respect him. The dude’s a warrior. Tough as hell, and we love him for it.”
With an injection of lidocaine and a massive pad shrouding the injured shoulder, he helped the Nuggets win Game 3 with a 7-for-10 shooting performance for 21 points.
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“They always have my back, but they want to win as well,” Porter told The Post, saying he felt that he’s letting his teammates down. “And I want to win, too. So if I’m gonna go out there and play, then I need to help contribute. But we’ve got another game, and I’ve got to stay locked in and be ready to try to turn it around and help my team.
“We can’t lose hope until there’s no hope to be had.”
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