To punch a ticket to the Western Conference Finals, the Golden State Warriors had to close out the Memphis Grizzlies without a key veteran off the bench in Game 6.
After an early exit in Game 5, Otto Porter Jr. was ruled out for Game 6 against the Grizzlies due to soreness in his right foot. Despite Porter Jr.’s absence, the Warriors were still able to seal a victory over the Grizzlies to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Following a few days off before the start of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Porter Jr. could be close to returning to the rotation.
Prior to Game 1, Porter Jr. is listed as probable for Wednesday’s contest at Chase Center.
Via @kendra__andrews on Twitter:
Otto Porter Jr. went through a full practice today, Steve Kerr said. Porter is considered “probable” for Game 1 of the WCF on Wednesday.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) May 16, 2022
Before leaving Game 5 with an injury, Porter Jr. recorded his two best performances in the postseason. The veteran got hot from beyond the arc, drilling nine total 3s while tallying double-figure scoring performances in both Game 3 and Game 4 against the Grizzlies.
During the postseason, Porter Jr. is averaging 4.8 points on 38.3 % shooting from the floor with 3.9 boards and 2.3 assists in 21.5 minutes per contest.
Along with giving the Warriors a proven veteran scorer in the rotation, Porter Jr.’s return will give Steve Kerr some flexibility with his lineup. The Warriors can manage to use a combination of Porter Jr., Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney alongside their core group that features Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
Game 1 against the Mavs is set to start at 6 p.m. PT on Wednesday in the Bay Area.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
