Otto Porter making a name for himself in playoffs as Wizards' x-factor
The regular season didn't quite go the way that Otto Porter probably hoped, but the Washington Wizards wing is making a name for himself when it counts.
Porter's numbers during the postseason don't blow you away; he's averaging 9.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in the playoffs. But those marks are all increases on his regular season production, and they in fact underscore just how Porter has become Washington's biggest x-factor, according to Bleacher Report's Alec Nathan, and it largely comes down to his defense:
"He's a ball of energy who doesn't demand the rock to be effective, which has allowed Washington's primary offensive creators to work uninhibited. Through five games, Porter's a team-best plus-59 in the plus/minus column, nine points better than any other red, white and blue contributor.
"The reason that number's burst through the roof, though, is because of his defense.
"According to SportVU player-tracking data, opponents are shooting 13.4 percent worse than the league average against Porter in the postseason."
Porter is far from the Wizards' most important player. He won't set the tempo like John Wall or space the floor like Paul Pierce playing power forward. He's not going to run the pick and roll with Wall like Gortat. And he's not going to catch fire like Bradley Beal. But when Porter is on, and the Wizards are going small, this is a whole new team -- and one with championship aspirations once more.
(h/t Bleacher Report)
Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports
