It’s been a while since the Golden State Warriors made the playoffs, let alone make a run at the NBA Finals.
And, even though you could argue that they’ve gone through a tough patch with Klay Thompson missing a couple of years with injury and Stephen Curry also struggling to stay healthy, there’s another guy they’ve clearly missed all along: Kevin Durant.
Durant is one of the greatest scorers of all time and losing him was a big blow for them. But, according to NBC Sports’ Monte Poole, they could now have an even better weapon: Otto Porter Jr.
Poole recently said that, should Porter be healthy, the Warriors would have the deadliest trio of three-point shooters in franchise history:
“If Porter, 28, is healthy, the Warriors will have the most dangerous trio of deep shooters they have had at any time in franchise history.
And, no, we did not forget four-time scoring champ Kevin Durant.
Only 10 active players with more than 200 games of NBA experience have made a higher percentage of 3-point shots than Porter’s 40.2, and two of them are Stephen Curry (43.3) and Klay Thompson (41.9). Statistically, Porter is the best 3-point shooter to play alongside Curry and Thompson. (Durant shoots 38.4 percent for his career),” reported Poole.
Not to be disrespectful to Otto Porter Jr, who is indeed an outstanding three-point shooter at 40.2% per his career. But, C’mon, he’s by no means a better shooter than Kevin Durant.
Durant is one of the few members of the 50/40/90 club and is a volume scorer, as opposed to Porter Jr’s role as a complimentary shooter.
Needless to say, the fans didn’t seem to care about Poole’s take and fired back at this report on social media.
I get why KD left https://t.co/DwIgEMA6fg
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) October 3, 2021
he shoots at a high percentage cause dude neva get double team. Nobody care about Otto Porter if hes open lol KD got the whole defense playing D on him.
— Living0od (@Living0od) October 4, 2021
The fans shit on him for some reason, but the players know what it is, that's y they flew their asses across the country to the Hamptons to recruit him… Dray was in the parking lot right after the game speed dialing that man lmaooo
— Phoenix Simon & Blade's Barber💈 (@ya_hush) October 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/smoothieuzi/status/1444743208051691524
Did you forget Kevin Durant player for the Warriors?
— Zevan Shuster (@ZevanShuster) October 4, 2021
You wrote that whole article, proof it, made this tweet, proof read it just to be completely wrong pic.twitter.com/ykEFJnEnZy
— Coi Leray Baby Daddy (@NickMoonEmoji) October 3, 2021
this franchise is an embarrassment 🤣 u had a top 15 player of all time IN HIS PRIME. he helped u to 2 rings, have some respect
— joel (@joel_s0) October 3, 2021
We just forgetting about 2016-2019??
— HOOPS EMPIRE (@HoopsEmpire_) October 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/IngramBurner13/status/1444711822683095041
Why are you lying? There's no need to lie.
— Dang Ol’ Ribbshauer (@ItsRibbs) October 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/LoetscherSamuel/status/1445040528551260161https://twitter.com/dubzridah/status/1444730141628715010
Someone getting fired for this
— Edward Powley (@edward_powley) October 3, 2021
So KD didn’t used to play for the Warriors ? KD wasn’t a part of the trio ? Y’all trying to convince us Otto is a better shooter than KD?
— jordan demi (@jordan_demi1) October 3, 2021
you’re getting reporter for false information.
— 4pf🧛🏻♂️💋 (@zawday) October 3, 2021
Durant also has 2,843 more attempts at 3 than OPJ. Of course he’s going to have a lower percentage.
— Shaun Brown (@ShaunOfTheDad2) October 5, 2021
I watched it up close for three years. Weirdest, saddest self-sabotage I’ve ever seen from a fanbase and media group.
— The Sports Bear (@davdavies) October 4, 2021
This is silly we literally had KD with the splash Bros stop this
— tom (@BayAreaGooner88) October 3, 2021
The disrespect of this tweet is WILD. Y’all had Kevin Durant. Y’know… THE GREATEST PURE SCORER EVER!!!! 😂
— James Smith (@J_Smith_711) October 3, 2021
Hopefully, Porter Jr will help the Warriors become a playoff threat again like they were in the past. But hey, there are levels to everything, and he’s no Kevin Durant.
At least, Durant knows that the fanbase has his back even after the way things ended for him in the Bay area.
