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“You’re going to leave Steph Curry open? Bad idea buddy”: Otto Porter Jr breaks down why he passed up his bread-and-butter corner 3s to the wide open Warriors MVP

Samir Mehdi
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“You’re going to leave Steph Curry open? Bad idea buddy”: Otto Porter Jr breaks down why he passed up his bread-and-butter corner 3s to the wide open Warriors MVP

Otto Porter Jr says that leaving Steph Curry open for any kind of 3 is a bad idea and that’s why he gave up his corner 3 for that shot. 

The Golden State Warriors had a sneaky good offseason in 2021. Steph Curry proved he can be the best player on a Playoff caliber team last season with a slew of injuries hitting the Dubs. With Klay Thompson coming back from his torn Achilles and ACL injuries around Christmas time, Curry and GSW will look to contend for a title. 

Coming back to the ‘sneaky good offseason’, the Otto Porter Jr and Nemanja Bjelica signings are extremely underrated. Both are incredible shooters, with the former even bringing a healthy dose of perimeter defense to the table.

Also read: “Kevin Durant really left Steph Curry for an unvaccinated Kyrie Irving”: NBA analyst flabbergasted at the Nets guard potentially missing 41 home games in the 2021-22 season

With Klay surely taking a step back defensively due to his injuries, and Steph Curry not being all too much of a defensive savant, having Porter Jr out there will be extremely helpful. Of course, what’s most important however, is the perimeter shooting the former Bull provides. 

Otto Porter Jr explains passing the ball to Steph Curry on a corner 3. 

Last night’s Warriors-Nuggets game saw the Dubs squeeze out a close one against Denver as they won 118-116. Following the game, Otto Porter Jr was asked about a particular play that saw him pass up a corner 3 to a wide open Steph Curry as halftime was approaching. 

“I looked and they left Steph wide open. I was like, ‘Me, okay, but Steph, you gonna leave him open? Bad idea buddy’” 

Also read: “Chef Curry always gonna cook”: NBA GMs pay respect to Steph Curry, vote him best Point Guard for 2021-22 season with overwhelming majority

The play that’s being referenced here is one that saw Andrew Wiggins drive and dish out to Porter Jr on the right corner. This is usually his bread-and-butter and rightfully drew a double team from Aaron Gordon and Monte Morrie. This however, led to Steph Curry being wide open on the wing. A simple pump fake into a 3 saw the Warriors take a 63-62 lead. 

Otto Porter Jr has shot 8-13 from beyond the arc in two preseason games and it’s safe to say that the Warriors are going to be absolutely lethal from range with 4 guys including Jordan Poole on the perimeter. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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