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The Golden State Warriors are just 48 minutes of good basketball away from securing their spot in the 2022 NBA Finals. However, they face a tall task in completing the sweep against the Mavs in Dallas, with Luka Doncic coming off of back-to-back 40-point efforts.
Moreover, they’ll be extra shorthanded in the attempt, as forward Otto Porter Jr. has been ruled out of Game 4 with his latest ailment.
Porter exited Game 3 during the second quarter when he suffered another foot injury. As a result, the baller was limited to just seven minutes of action in the contest, scoring two points. After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr revealed that X-rays on his left foot had come back negative. Still, uncertainty abounds regarding his timetable for return.
For his part, Stanford orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Oji believes that Golden State will take a cautious approach with the former No. 3 overall pick.
Orthopedic Surgeon: Even if Dubs Lose, Porter Could Sit Until NBA Finals
Oji was asked by NBC Sports Bay Area to offer his assessment of Porter’s situation. Given the available information on the injury, the specialist indicated that resting and applying ice would likely suffice in getting him back up to full health, provided there’s no structural damage and it’s truly just a minor strain.
That said, he expects that Porter will remain on the sidelines for however many games it takes the Dubs to advance to the championship round.
“Given that they’re up quite a bit [in the series], they don’t need him,” Oji said. “I suspect they’d probably keep him off and get him healthy for the Finals.”
Game 1 of the Finals will fall on Thursday, June 2, so holding Porter out for the rest of the Western Conference Finals — regardless of what happens on Tuesday night — would give him nine more days to heal up. And considering the stiff challenge the Warriors would face in the Finals with either the Heat or the Celtics, having Porter healthy and able to perform is imperative.
On whether the right foot injury Porter suffered earlier in the Warriors’ playoff run may have played a role in his latest setback, Oji had this to say:
“If the other [foot] does get injured, certainly it can stress both sides… It certainly could have contributed to the left foot.”
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Porter Has Quietly Been Incredibly Impactful
Through 13 postseason appearances, Porter’s individual counting stats leave something to be desired. The 28-year-old is currently averaging 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 20.7 minutes per contest. Moreover, he’s shooting a ho-hum 46.7% from the floor, 32.3% from deep and 71.4% from the line.
Regardless, he’s been one of the team’s most impactful players and a driving force in multiple wins.
When he has been on the court during the playoffs, the Warriors have outscored opponents by an incredible 15 points per 100 possessions. Andrew Wiggins is the only other Dubs player who really comes close to that mark with a net rating of 13.2.
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