Golden State Warriors: 3 X-Factors in series versus Denver
By Tony Pesta
2. Otto Porter Jr.
An underrated acquisition in the summer, Otto Porter Jr. is exactly the type of guy the Golden State Warriors need to step up in their first round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
Porter has the skill set needed to blow this thing wide open. He’s a steady hand from deep, shooting 37% from the 3-point line and an overall clip of 46.4% from the field. Porter’s floor-spacing capabilities will make it difficult for Denver to properly defend everyone on the Dubs.
Just as important, Porter is a multi-faceted defender who has helped the Warriors remain top-10 in rebounding despite being an undersized team. He’s had games of 16 and 15 rebounds this season, showing he can fill their needs on the glass.
This is vital in a matchup against Nikola Jokic, the league’s second-leading rebounder. Keeping Jokic off the boards and limiting Denver’s transition push will be key to winning the series — Porter can help accomplish both of these goals.