Michael Porter Jr. places blame squarely on himself as subpar showings leave Nuggets on the brink

Michael Porter Jr. put out one of the worst performances in the Denver Nuggets vs. the OKC Thunder series on Tuesday after he scored only two points in 29 minutes.

The Nuggets star was arguably the most inefficient he has ever been in his career as he shot just 1-for-7 (0-for-5 from 3-point range). After the game, Porter spoke with The Denver Post's Bennett Durando and took responsibility for his poor showing.

"I haven’t been contributing in any way right now," Porter said.

The Denver-OKC clash is arguably one of the most entertaining series in the playoffs right now. The teams split the first four games of the series. However, after Game 5, the Thunder now have a 3-2 series lead and have an opportunity to advance to the conference finals in Game 6.

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray held their own on Tuesday to keep their team in the game. Jokic finished with 44 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on 17-for-25 shooting (5-for-7 on 3-pointers), while Murray added 28 points. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough as the Nuggets lost 112-105.

Michael Porter Jr. talks about playing through injury against the OKC Thunder

Michael Porter Jr.'s poor performance on Tuesday can be attributed to the shoulder injury he has been dealing with since the first-round series against the LA Clippers.

On April 22, Porter sprained his left A.C. joint in a scuffle for a loose ball against the Clippers. However, despite having a bad shoulder, the Nuggets star showed up in Game 3 and helped his team secure a 113-104 win.

After Game 3, Michael Porter Jr. talked with Associated Press' Arnie Stapleton and revealed his thoughts on playing through injury.

"Even though playing through it makes it heal slower, they know it’s not something that’s dangerous to play with, per se,” Porter said. “So, they’re trusting me to go out there and space the floor, make it easier on other guys if I can and then I’ve just got to contribute on the glass and defensively as best I can and be ready to knock down open shots."

Apart from Game 3's crucial performance, Porter has been ineffective on both ends of the floor, and it might be time for the Nuggets coaching staff to rest him. The Nuggets will face elimination in Game 6 against the Thunder on Thursday.