Playoffs are always thrillers, but if there’s one series that’s giving neutrals to enjoy the return of their money, it’s the Nuggets vs Clippers first round. Forget last quarter, the winners aren’t decided till the final minutes either. Game 1 to Nuggets 112-110. Game 2? 105 to 102 to the Clippers’ favor. It’s rare for a first-round series to be closely contested with the way matchups work. So this ongoing battle between Nikola Jokic and Kawhi Leonard sides is an exception. They ended with identical records and now stand even at one game apiece. No matter how desperate you seem, it’s hard to separate the two sides. Both have their bragging points. But has one incident caused the Nuggets to be on the back foot?

The Nuggets rely hugely on the two-man game between Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. However, Michael Porter Jr. adds the shooting dimension that staggers their offense. But towards the end of Game 2, he suffered a sprain in his shoulder. Now that it compromises his shooting ability, the Hoop Collective isn’t rating the Nuggets as highly.

“I’m sorry, that Michael Porter, who is an extremely important player for them, because he’s a variance player and when he shoots his hits, his threes, it really elevates their offense because they’re a bad three-point shooting team. Also, they’re a thin team,” says Brian Windhorst. The concern for the Nuggets is, they can’t afford injuries. Stressing on MPJ, further continued, “And so anybody who is affected by any sort of injury in their top five, it’s a red light. He sprained his shoulder. Had to come out of the game when the game was on the line. He got landed on late in the game and was immediately grabbing at his arm. And by the way, he announced, he said, I sprained my shoulder. So that’s not good. I’m not an orthopedist, but that’s not good.”

A hobbled Michael Porter Jr. leaves Nikola Jokic and Co. without a credible shooter. Peyton Watson could see extended minutes in case the 26-year-old does find shooting to be an uncomfortable task. Watson does play with great zeal. However, he can’t replicate the size mismatch that Porter brings into play.

But for Tim MacMahon, that’s not even the greater issue at hand. With Porter struggling, he feels the only player within the rotation who will have to play more minutes is Russell Westbrook. The former MVP has had some iffy moments through the first two games. But as far as balance goes, MacMahon has a fear.

“There’s a presence there that’s not necessarily positive,” he suggests.

How will Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook respond?

If you look at some of the biggest plays in the tight first-round series, the Brodie stands out. He has made some clutch three-pointers and huge hustle plays to aid the Nuggets in their Game 1 fightback. In Game 2, he did the same with a pair of late threes. At the same time, though, there have been moments that agitate fans.

Westbrook plays with an incredible burst and pace. At times, that can fail, leading to forgettable moments such as easy misses or even turnovers. In a condensed time on the floor, his vigor has benefited the Nuggets. But Windy fears that if he plays a greater role, it could have an adverse effect.

“If you have Russell Westbrook, whatever you are on the Russell Westbrook spectrum of love-hate, you want to have the option of Russell Westbrook. You don’t want to have to play Russell Westbrook,” he said on Hoop Collective. In a scenario Westbrook does have to play longer, Tim Bontemps feels “the bad is going to outweigh the good and you’re going to lose,”.

But how true is that?

Russell Westbrook might have his lows in a game. He can be scrappy and impulsive at times. But he has a key trait that blends brilliantly with the Nuggets’ plan. His passion is unmatched. When it comes to competing, very few do it with the intensity that Westbrook does. In the postseason, having his aggressive mindset is always a plus point.

It’s not like he is being asked to run the show. The Nuggets have the Joker for that. But for a team that has been poor defensively, Westbrook’s ball pressure serves as a great advantage. Nikola Jokic does the job of putting himself in the right place to score. But when the moment gets big, Brodie does expand his game.