Jordan Poole didn’t find himself in the starting five on Sunday, but it didn’t matter. The Nuggets bodied him up in the first round and slowed down his production the previous two games, but that didn’t matter. He started off the game slow Sunday but that didn’t matter, either.
In the series opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, Poole eventually found that irresistible groove that makes him one of basketball’s most entertaining players. The 22-year-old carried the Warriors offense on an afternoon when Draymond Green was ejected shortly before halftime. Poole’s 31 points played a huge role in the Warriors’ 117-116 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, as Golden State reclaimed homecourt advantage.
“He hasn’t been on the stage before and it’s not something you can teach, in terms of being ready for a moment like this,” Steph Curry said of Poole. “But just the way he stepped up really helped us. Played an amazing floor game tonight.”
Poole couldn’t have got off to a hotter start to his postseason career, averaging 28.7 points and 4.3 made 3-pointers in the first three games of the series. Then they started being more physical with him and he dropped down to just 19 combined points while he became less of a factor.
The Grizzlies didn’t have the same luck on Sunday.
“Tonight was the rule, rather than the exception.” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Poole’s big night. “The Jordan we’ve seen the last few months, this is what he looks like.”
Poole made his presence felt during a couple of key sequences Sunday.
In the second quarter, he hit a 3-pointer, doubled Desmond Bane near the midcourt line and helped cause a turnover, then hit another 3-pointer in the span of 15 seconds, causing the Grizzlies to call a timeout. His trifecta with 2:50 left in the third silenced a raucous Grizzlies crowd that was buzzing after Jaren Jackson Jr. had hit a 3-pointer on the other end.
Poole heated up in the final 20 minutes of the game and even Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke had to say “Wow” when running back down the floor after Poole hit a contested deep 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter. Poole finished 5-for-10 from long distance.
“Jordan has developed such a great floor game,” Klay Thompson said. “He made some huge shots. Deep shots, too.”
Kerr altered his starting lineup and used Gary Payton II and Andrew Wiggins alongside Curry, Thompson and Green. Kerr said it was an easy conversation to have with Poole about coming off the bench, as Curry did it for three games to begin the Nuggets series in the first round.
By the game’s final buzzer, Poole was flirting with the first triple-double of his career, as he dished out nine assists and had eight rebounds.
“He was phenomenal,” Kerr said. “It means so much to us to have a second playmaker on the floor next to Steph or in place of Steph if he goes to the bench.”
Poole said it feels amazing to be trusted by guys like Steph, Klay and Draymond after watching them go on title runs when he was in high school.
“It feels really good to know that these guys have been in the fight,” Poole said. “They have championship experience.”
