dailyloe.com – Golden State Warriors forward Kristaps Porziņģis aims to end a shooting slump as his team prepares for the NBA play-in tournament. The Warriors face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in a critical matchup. Porziņģis struggled with his three-point shot to close the regular season. He remains confident in his ability to regain his shooting form.
“I’m going to still shoot it,” Porziņģis told reporters Monday during practice. He expressed unwavering belief in his next shot going in. Porziņģis stated that even an imperfect shot can still be made. He hopes his timing aligns for a good shooting performance on Wednesday.
In his last four games, Porziņģis made only one of fifteen three-point attempts. He shot 38.1 percent from the field during that stretch. This slump followed a two-game period where he was highly efficient. He made ten of sixteen three-point attempts and shot 54.8 percent from the field then.
His struggles continued in Sunday’s 115-110 loss to the Clippers. Porziņģis missed all four of his three-point attempts in that game. He shot only 37.5 percent from the field overall. The loss set the stage for the upcoming play-in rematch.
In fifteen regular-season games with Golden State, Porziņģis averaged 16.1 points per game. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. His field goal percentage for the season was 43.3 percent. From the three-point line, he shot 31.1 percent.
The Warriors need significant firepower to advance past the Clippers. A victory would send them to the first round of the playoffs. There, they would face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Porziņģis finding his rhythm is seen as a key factor.
His potential resurgence, combined with Steph Curry’s return from injury, could boost the team. Curry is expected to return to regular form after missing time. The play-in tournament presents a high-stakes opportunity for Golden State. The team’s playoff hopes hinge on this single-elimination game.[]
Source: NBC Sports Bay Area & California
