The Western Conference Finals have been a relatively easy ride for the Golden State Warriors. They blew the Dallas Mavericks out in Game 1 then beat them by nine points in both Game 2 and Game 3.
Two-time MVP guard Stephen Curry has been solid, and many of the Dubs’ other players like center Kevon Looney have stepped up. It doesn’t feel like this team has even come close to their ceiling.
The Golden State Warriors lost Game 4, their first defeat in the series, and it was also the first time Dallas won the battle on the boards.
One player that has played a large role when healthy is Otto Porter Jr. If there’s one trend consistent with every time Porter Jr. has played this series, it’s that the Warriors have won the game and the battle on the glass.
The Warriors had actually been dominant on the glass which isn’t something fans were expecting, and it has primarily been because of Looney. The Warriors won the rebounding edge in games 1-3 by ten-plus boards in each.
However, when the second unit came on the court, it wasn’t Jonathan Kuminga or the larger Nemanja Bjelica. It was Porter Jr. who was the key rebounder for the second unit, snagging 6 boards in Game 1 and 7 in Game 2.
He played just over 6 minutes in Game 3 and was out with left foot soreness in Game 4. Looney played just 20 minutes in Game 4, and without a major presence from either, the Dubs lost the battle on the boards by 4.
Porter Jr. has snagged 6 or more rebounds in 5 of his last 9 games, and his instincts as one of the more veteran players on the second unit is paramount to the bench’s success. The Warriors needed Porter Jr.’s rebounding on Tuesday night.
It seems relatively unlikely that Porter Jr. will be back for Game 5, and Kuminga will once again get more run than usual. Those minutes are going to be important for the Warriors to win the battle on the glass.
Porter Jr. averaged 4.1 boards per game during the regular season, the most of any non-starter. He’s going to play a crucial factor in their remaining games and hopefully in the NBA Finals. They should be able to win without the services of the former top-three pick.
There’s no doubt he’s an important player though, and his absence played a key role in the Warriors being out-rebounded on Tuesday.