Warriors need more from Jordan Poole, but will his ankle allow for that?
Poole has been playing through sprained ankle since Game 1 vs. Kings.
Now Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II also listed as questionable for Game 3.
>Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) is guarded by Sacramento
Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half during Game 1 in
the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs in Sacramento, Calif.,
Monday, April 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 20, 2023 at 9:05 a.m. | UPDATED: April 20, 2023 at 9:08
a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/04/20/warriors-need-more-from-jordan-poole-but-will-his-ankle-allow-for-that/

SAN FRANCISCO — Jordan Poole posing more of a downhill threat and
getting to the free-throw line could be the difference-maker the
Warriors need to counter the upstart Sacramento Kings.

Poole can be most impactful when he’s aggressive attacking the rim and
making smart plays with the ball. He led the team with 550 points in the
paint this season. He also got to the free throw line a team-high 415
times. But concern over his bum left ankle might hinder him from being
able to do that.

Poole started this first-round series strong. He was smart and effective
on offense and disrupted some on defense.

Poole scored 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting and got to the free-throw line
four times in the first half of Game 1 on Saturday.

But he sprained his ankle late third quarter and hasn’t been the same since.

Poole has tallied just eight points — six of which have come on free
throws — over the last six quarters of this series. He has shot 1-for-10
from the field during that span, missing all six of his 3-point attempts.

That’s not enough for the Warriors.

It’s hard to say how much Poole’s sprained ankle from Game 1 is
impacting him. But it was bad enough Monday night that Klay Thompson
described the fourth-year guard as playing with “half a foot.”

Coach Steve Kerr also praised Poole for toughening it out.

“I was really proud of him for playing the other night,” Kerr said. “His
ankle was really swollen, it was not pretty. But he gutted it out. I
know it wasn’t a great game for him but his effort and his approach, his
attitude was fantastic. I think he will be rewarded for the way he
handled these last few days… Frankly, a lot of people wouldn’t play, and
I just have a lot of faith in Jordan.”

The Warriors and Kings had an extra off day between Games 2 and 3. Poole
should benefit from the added rest.

Kerr described Poole as “fine” in Wednesday’s practice. He’s listed as
questionable for Game 3 on Thursday at Chase Center along with Andrew
Wiggins (right shoulder soreness) and Gary Payton II (sick). Draymond
Green won’t be in the building Thursday as he serves a one-game
suspension for stomping on Kings center Domantas Sabonis in Game 2 and
for having what the league called a “history of unsportsmanlike acts.”

Playoffs are the time when athletes push their bodies to the limit. It
might be a lot to ask for, but the Warriors remain confident Poole can
answer the call.

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Poole solidified himself as a top-six player with last season’s title
run. And the Warriors signed him to a lucrative extension before this
season to be a cornerstone of the future.

Overall, it’s been a rocky season for Poole as he’s struggled at times
to adjust to opponents paying more attention to him in their defensive
game plans than a year ago.

With the Warriors down 2-0 for the first time under Kerr, Golden State
is hoping that the series moving to San Francisco for the next two games
will swing momentum in their favor.

It’ll take a full-team effort to help make up the void felt by Draymond
Green’s absence in Thursday’s game at Chase Center. The Warriors need
everyone to step up if they want to get back into this series. Expect
Poole to play a big part in that — if his ankle allows.

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter
Madeline Kenney is the Bay Area News Group's Golden State Warriors beat
reporter for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. A Nebraska native, she
is graduate of Loyola University of Chicago. She holds a Bachelor in
Communication degree, with a major in broadcast journalism and minors in
sports management and marketing, and is a friend of Sister Jean, the
103-year-old nun who became famous during the Ramblers’ 2018 run to the
Final Four, Madeline previously worked for the Chicago Sun-Times
covering everything from sports to crime and politics. When she’s not
working, she enjoys trying new restaurants and exploring the great outdoors.