Contributions from the role players
Gary Harris has become the missing piece the Nuggets need on the defensive end of the floor. Harris is big enough to stop opposing wings from driving to the rim in the halfcourt and quick enough to stop fast break opportunities. In this series, he’ll most likely going to be tasked to defend Green, a veteran 3-point specialist.
With Harris locking down Green, the Lakers will have to find other shooters to catch fire from behind the arc. However, not only is Harris a proficient defender, he’s also come alive on the offensive end; he hit 41.9% of his 3-point attempts while averaging 10.7 points per game against the Clippers.
Michael Porter Jr., known primarily as an offensive threat, really stepped up on defense for the latter part of the last series. MPJ looked locked-in and alert when defending, which is without a doubt a major improvement from his unfathomable defensive intensity against the Jazz in the early part of the series. Though he still has a ways to go as a defender, effort and awareness is all Malone can ask for when subbing Porter into games.
MPJ is a reliable go-to shooter, proven in Game 5 against the Clippers, and also one of the better rebounders in the rotation. There needs to be more off-ball movement from Porter, as it will give Jokic yet another cutting option and create more opportunities for open shooters waiting outside.
Matching up against Porter is going to be an interesting adjustment Lakers head coach Frank Vogel is going to have to make and by playing up to his potential, the rookie will only make Vogel’s job more difficult. At 6’10”, MPJ has the height to shoot over smaller defenders but also has the speed to drive past slower players.
There can’t be enough praise for Monte Morris because you can’t really ask for anything more than what Morris is already providing the Nuggets.
As the team’s backup point guard, he’s proven himself to be a rock-solid lead guard who rarely makes mistakes and turns the ball over. Yes, his 3-point shooting (28.1%) is an issue, but it’s an anomaly given his career numbers from 3-point range and shouldn’t undermine his reliability when he’s on the floor or the trust Malone has in Morris.
Despite his struggles in the bubble, Torrey Craig really picked up his play at the end of last series, making shots when they matter most. Craig may not play as much as he would like but when he does expect some hustle and effort.
An interesting statistical nugget: Craig managed to hold LeBron to 4-15 shooting in the regular season.
I can’t wait to see what Jokic and company can do in a best of seven series against the Lakers.