Klay Thompson: Warriors’ Jordan Poole looks like ‘seasoned vet’ in the
playoffs
With respect earned and confidence built up during first playoff run,
Jordan Poole’s receiving a new level of praise from his teammates.
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3)
dribbles past Denver Nuggets’ Austin Rivers (25) in the third quarter of
Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff series at Ball
Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay
Area News Group)
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3)
dribbles past Denver Nuggets’ Austin Rivers (25) in the third quarter of
Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff series at Ball
Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay
Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 22, 2022 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: April 22, 2022 at
10:39 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/22/klay-thompson-says-jordan-poole-looks-like-seasoned-vet-in-first-three-playoff-games/

DENVER — The TV broadcast of Game 3 of the Warriors-Nuggets series
caught a rather unique sight late in the fourth quarter Thursday night.

It wasn’t Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson or Andre Iguodala
leading the huddle during a timeout after the Nuggets took a two-point
lead. No, it was third-year guard Jordan Poole who was hyping up his
teammates as they prepared to close out the final three minutes of the game.

“These guys have given me confidence,” Poole said during a post-game TV
interview about the interaction.

But before the young gun could finish his thought, Thompson interrupted
him, shaking and jumping behind Poole as he repeatedly exclaimed, “It’s
a Poole party!”

The 22-year-old, beaming with a smile, continued: “That’s what I’m
talking about. We’ve got these guys who push us every single day… They
want us to rise to the occasion. Being able to have Steph, Klay,
Draymond and Andre, guys that have been here before, they know how
important it is to come down the stretch and just being able to give
these guys confidence. Young guy or not you can still give guys
confidence throughout the game and make sure they lock in and luckily it
was a big little talk at the end of the half.”

Poole has more than earned the respect of his elders this season for the
way he stepped up and thrived in whatever role the team asked of him.
But three games into his first postseason, Poole has received a new
level of praise from his teammates.

“He looks like a seasoned vet,” Thompson said after the Warriors beat
the Nuggets to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. “The shots
that he’s making and taking … he’s kind of been our catalyst on offense.
JP, I’ve seen him put in so much work behind the scenes that he deserves
this. I’m so incredibly proud of him.”

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>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3)
takes a shot against Denver Nuggets’ Jeff Green (32) in the third
quarter of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff
series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Through three games, Poole, who’s starting in place of Curry as the
All-Star works his way back from a foot injury, has scored a combined 86
points while shooting an impressive 66.7% from the field and 59.1% from
deep. Poole’s 30-point performance in Game 1 tied for the second most
scored by a Warriors player in their playoff debut. And he’s only the
16th player in NBA history to score at least 25 points in his first
three career playoff games, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only
Warriors player to accomplish that feat.

“These last three games, I don’t remember a better start for a playoff
debut for a guard,” Thompson said. “It’s incredible what Jordan is doing
and we need him to go where we want to go and we need him to keep doing
what he’s doing.”

Poole’s steadfast confidence has become a trademark of his personality.
Even when things haven’t gone his way, like last season when he was
demoted to the G League, Poole has never let a sliver of doubt creep
into his mind.

And he’s an absolute workhorse and desperate to become the best version
of himself. Several veterans have said Poole has been asking about the
playoffs and what to expect on the big stage since his first training camp.

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Poole said he feels empowered by the team’s veterans to be true to his
game and he said every game is a learning experience playing alongside them.

“Being out there with those guys late in the game and in that moment was
extremely special because you get to see how focused they are
offensively and defensively, how everything matters,” he said, “and just
being able to see guys make big shots and make big plays and have laser
focus is something that is truly special to be a part of.”

Thursday could have been sort of a passing of the torch from the old
guard to the new. Poole will command a hefty pay raise this offseason,
but the Warriors see him being a key part of the team’s future success.

Poole can’t compare playing in the NBA playoffs to anything else he’s
experienced in his young basketball career. But the postseason
atmosphere has lived up to the hype. Poole has, too.

“To be able to stay as connected as we can and how connected that we
have been against all the fans on the road, it’s huge,” he said.

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter