Hype has been building around Jordan Poole all year.
In Tuesday’s season-opening 121-114 win against the Los Angeles Lakers, the third-year Warriors shooting guard showed what the chatter is all about.
Poole played 25 minutes and poured in 20 points, making 4-of-11 from 3-point range as the Warriors made a statement win against the vaunted, veteran-laden Lakers. More importantly, he filled the offensive void as Steph Curry rested on the bench during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter, when the Warriors took control of the game with a 9-0 run.
Poole averaged nearly a point per minute during the preseason after finishing the 2020-21 campaign with a bang. Throughout the five preseason games, Poole provided some showstopping highlights and showed some major confidence shooting, driving and finishing with style.
It took him a bit to get warmed up, but Poole looked like the same player the Warriors have been seeing since he returned from a fateful trip to the G League in March.
Defensively, Poole found himself matched up with Russell Westbrook for the majority of his night. Westbrook had his way with Poole on a couple of occasions but finished the night 4-of-13 for eight points while also being guarded by others like Andrew Wiggins, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Steph Curry.
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It’s only one game, but Poole certainly looks like he’s capable of handling the starting shooting guard role while Klay Thompson works back from his Achilles injury.
Poole also suffered an injury scare in the third quarter, when he went to the locker room briefly after showing some discomfort with trainers.
But Poole returned and looked like he was able to cut without problems once he returned, despite also coming up gimpy during a fourth-quarter drive.
