Washington Wizards: 2017-18 player grades for Otto Porter Jr.
Highlights
The Washington Wizards got off to a good start to the season by winning their first three games. Otto Porter Jr. put up a smooth 28 points and nine rebounds in their second game of the season against the Detroit Pistons.
Porter combined with Bradley Beal and John Wall to produce 79 points in the Wizards’ 115-113 victory back on Oct. 20.
A few nights later on Oct. 27, Porter put together another masterful performance against the NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Shooting guard Bradley Beal was ejected early in the game along with Golden State’s Draymond Green, which only raised the profile for Porter.
Without Beal, Porter went off for 29 points on 7-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. His seven made 3s were a career-high for him, although it wasn’t the only time he reached that mark. He also snagged 10 rebounds in the contest, registering his second double-double of the young season.
Porter’s hot shooting didn’t stop there, either. Across the next three contests, he shot 9-for-16 (56.3 percent) from 3-point land, showing off his efficiency from behind the arc.
On Nov. 9, he posted another 20-point double-double against the Los Angeles Lakers. He recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 111-95 victory, avenging a loss back in October.
After their game on Nov. 9, the Washington Wizards hit a bit of a rough patch. Porter averaged 14.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the month, but their record as a team was 7-8.
December went a bit smoother as the team went 10-6 across the month. Porter put up 13.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game through 14 appearances with his best month yet to come.
On Dec. 29, he tied his career-high of seven made 3-pointers again, this time against the Houston Rockets. The Wizards won the game easily, 121-103, as Porter produced 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
The Wizards used the month of January to adjust to life without John Wall and by February, they were firing on all cylinders. Head coach Scott Brooks was awarded the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month award for their performance in February as they posted a record of 8-4.
Porter averaged 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest during the 12-game span. His best game of month came against Golden State once again as he put up 29 points and 10 rebounds, albeit in a 109-101 loss on Feb. 28.
Porter didn’t eclipse his career-high of 34 points set back in 2016, but he came close. He didn’t eclipse 30 points in 2017-18 but the room to grow is certainly there for him as the Washington Wizards’ third option on offense.