Jordan Poole did it again.
Just like in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Poole capped off the third quarter of Game 5 Monday night with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
This time around, Poole's 3-pointer gave the Warriors a 75-74 lead and a nice kick after a third quarter when they were outscored 35-24.
Poole's buzzer-beater wasn't as ridiculous this time. He pulled up from the left wing – right near owner Joe Lacob and rapper Jay-Z – before lacing a trifecta from 28 feet out. The refs had to go to review but confirmed Poole got the shot off in time.
Poole's huge splash ended up giving the Warriors momentum that they carried into the fourth quarter before capping off a 104-94 win to give Golden State a 3-2 series lead.
"Jordan hitting that shot right before the clock expired was a great momentum boost for us," Draymond Green said. "You know, when a team goes on a run like they did -- and it was more than a run -- they pretty much dominated the entire third quarter. For us to still go into the fourth quarter with the lead, that's huge. And I think that was something that we could build on, and we did."
During Game 2, Poole's halfcourt heave also helped spark the Warriors to a 107-88 win.
So, what it is about those big moments that Poole loves? If you watch a replay of Monday's buzzer-beater, you can see him pleading with Andrew Wiggins before getting the ball."
"For the shots, end of shot clock or ends of quarters, I always want those and my teammates look for me on those," Poole said. "The blinders kind of go up as the clock goes down."
Poole scored 11 of his 14 points after halftime, going 3-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point land. In his first Finals experience, Poole continues to provide a solid boost off the bench for the Dubs.
It's been quite a third season for Poole, who started the first 28 games of the regular sand helped Golden State jump out to a 23-5 start. After readjusting with the return of Klay Thompson, now Poole and the Warriors find themselves just a win away from bringing home the 'ship.
"We still have got another 48 (minutes) to go out there and play," Poole said. "Stay locked in. Stay extremely focused and look at our adjustments and find ways to get better. We have to go get a big one on the road, and we feel like we are fully capable of that, but the job is not done yet."
