Daily Warriors Links, 3/15/23

Good Morning Dub Nation,

The Golden State Warriors get set to play the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. It will be the fourth and final meeting between the two teams as Golden State attempts to take a pivotal 3-1 season series lead over Los Angeles.

Ahead of the big matchup, Clippers’ All-Star wing Paul George released the second episode of his Podcast P show in which he mentioned Warriors guard Jordan Poole among the up-and-coming players in the league — crediting the fourth-year player for raising his game despite a rough start to his career.

After being drafted 28th overall back in 2019, Poole initially struggled to adapt to the Warriors’ intricate system (as most rookies and young players do). He spent time in the G-League where he famously used the reps to gradually improve his game.

During his second year, Poole’s work in the G-League finally began to pay off as flashes of the electric scorer we see today began to show itself, especially in high pressure situations. Eventually, Poole would not only prove he can manage the team in the absence of Klay Thompson or even Steph Curry, but also thrive alongside them. He popped off specifically in the 2022 postseason as the team’s three guard “Poole Party” lineup became a pick your poison situation that opposing defenses were not yet ready to handle.

Poole’s performance during the Warriors championship run last year earned him a huge four-year $128 million contract extension coming into this season. However, it’s been a tumultuous ride ever since as the young Warriors guard has dealt with adversity beginning with the offseason practice incident with Draymond Green to the inconsistent performances throughout the regular season.

Although the difference in personnel from last season to this season are a major factor in these struggles, many were expecting Poole’s game to take another leap given his trajectory from previous years. That hasn’t been the case as his poor shot selection, untimely turnovers, and lapses on defense have caused some fans to slow down their high expectations.

Last season, Poole shot 36.4% from three on 7.6 attempts per game while averaging 2.5 turnovers a night. This season, that percentage has dropped to 32.9% on 7.9 three-point attempts per game, while his turnovers increased to 3.2 per game.

The good news is, at just 23-years-old, Poole still has plenty of time to grow. He still brings immense value to the Warriors as a ready and capable substitute at both guard positions while increasing the offensive ceiling of the roster. His performance down the stretch will be crucial as Golden State continues to make their run at another championship this postseason.

Here are the rest of today’s stories: