https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/warriors-game-7-fix-jordan-poole-s-woes-moses-17926448.php

“Yeah, Jordan never really got going tonight unfortunately,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He got a little frustrated early. He had a couple plays where he didn’t get calls and he was trying to attack and couldn’t quite shake free, so it was just a frustrating night for him.”

Poole suffered a nasty ankle injury in Game 1 and its effects lingered into Game 2, but he scored 22 points in Game 4, suggesting his ankle was better.. Which makes his performances in Game 5 (10 points on 4-for-12 shooting) and Game 6 so frustrating for Golden State.

Poole’s offensive contributions have been wildly inconsistent when the Warriors needed him at his best, and his struggles on defense are often hard to mask.

Golden State needed from Poole in Game 6 what Sacramento got out of reserve Malik Monk: 28 points on 8-for-14 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists. He scored efficiently when it mattered, played attentive defense and made timely passes in tense situations.

Poole is averaging just 12.7 points while shooting 33.8% from the field in the series, and a woeful 24.1% from 3-point range. That’s a dramatic difference from his postseason debut last season, when he averaged 22.9 points shooting 56.5% overall and 46.2% from 3-point range in his first eight playoff appearances.

“We’ve all been there,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said of Poole’s struggles. “I’ve had terrible slumps during the playoffs, the Olympics, at the highest level.”

What can the Warriors do about it? Perhaps they re-insert Green back into the starting lineup for a win-or-go-home Game 7. That would put Golden State’s five best players on the court from the opening tip.

Or maybe Kerr decides to reduce Poole’s minutes in favor of a player who has been more reliable on a game-to-game basis throughout the series. Second-year guard Moses Moody is the top candidate for Poole’s minutes should Kerr decide to stay small in the starting lineup with the season hanging in the balance.

After averaging just 13 minutes in his 63 regular-season games, Moody might seem like an unlikely addition to the Warriors’ playoff rotation. But the 20-year-old has taken full advantage of the opportunity when given extended minutes. He finished with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting in Game 3, and was effective in Game 6 as well.

Unlike Poole, Moody doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective on offense. Defensively, Moody has a higher level of hustle. He was among the first Warriors on the hardwood for loose balls in Game 6 and a pest when defending Fox, stripping the ball away from him in the final seconds of the first quarter, which led to a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo at the other end.

Moody’s stints have been impressive whenever he has stepped on the court this postseason. Perhaps seeing more of him in Game 7 will yield favorable results for Golden State. His teammates recognize his effort.

“He’s been incredible,” Thompson said. “His energy, his rebounding, his defense. I love Mo. He’s a true pro and you would never guess he’s 20 years old. I know he’ll make big contributions going forward. Moses has been ready, and that’s what you ask of a young player, just to stay ready.”

Warriors guard Stephen Curry says he has confidence in Poole’s ability to bounce back from a rough stretch.

“We need him and he’s more than capable, and has shown the ability to impact games, and the biggest thing for all of us — JP included — is that next-play mentality that is so important at this level,” Curry said. “We have all kind of been there and been through those growing pains of a playoff experience, and it happens, but we can all play better. And we all have to play better if we’re going to win on Sunday.”

Donald Lee wrote:
> https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/warriors-game-7-fix-jordan-poole-s-woes-moses-17926448.php
>
> “Yeah, Jordan never really got going tonight unfortunately,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He got a little frustrated early. He had a couple plays where he didn’t get calls and he was trying to attack and couldn’t quite shake free, so it was just a frustrating night for him.”
>
> Poole suffered a nasty ankle injury in Game 1 and its effects lingered into Game 2, but he scored 22 points in Game 4, suggesting his ankle was better. Which makes his performances in Game 5 (10 points on 4-for-12 shooting) and Game 6 so frustrating for Golden State.
>
> Poole’s offensive contributions have been wildly inconsistent when the Warriors needed him at his best, and his struggles on defense are often hard to mask.
>
> Golden State needed from Poole in Game 6 what Sacramento got out of reserve Malik Monk: 28 points on 8-for-14 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists. He scored efficiently when it mattered, played attentive defense and made timely passes in tense situations.
>
> Poole is averaging just 12.7 points while shooting 33.8% from the field in the series, and a woeful 24.1% from 3-point range. That’s a dramatic difference from his postseason debut last season, when he averaged 22.9 points shooting 56.5% overall and 46.2% from 3-point range in his first eight playoff appearances.
>
> “We’ve all been there,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said of Poole’s struggles. “I’ve had terrible slumps during the playoffs, the Olympics, at the highest level.”
>
> What can the Warriors do about it? Perhaps they re-insert Green back into the starting lineup for a win-or-go-home Game 7. That would put Golden State’s five best players on the court from the opening tip.
>
> Or maybe Kerr decides to reduce Poole’s minutes in favor of a player who has been more reliable on a game-to-game basis throughout the series. Second-year guard Moses Moody is the top candidate for Poole’s minutes should Kerr decide to stay small in the starting lineup with the season hanging in the balance.
>
> After averaging just 13 minutes in his 63 regular-season games, Moody might seem like an unlikely addition to the Warriors’ playoff rotation. But the 20-year-old has taken full advantage of the opportunity when given extended minutes. He finished with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting in Game 3, and was effective in Game 6 as well.
>
> Unlike Poole, Moody doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective on offense. Defensively, Moody has a higher level of hustle. He was among the first Warriors on the hardwood for loose balls in Game 6 and a pest when defending Fox, stripping the ball away from him in the final seconds of the first quarter, which led to a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo at the other end.
>
> Moody’s stints have been impressive whenever he has stepped on the court this postseason. Perhaps seeing more of him in Game 7 will yield favorable results for Golden State. His teammates recognize his effort.
>
> “He’s been incredible,” Thompson said. “His energy, his rebounding, his defense. I love Mo. He’s a true pro and you would never guess he’s 20 years old. I know he’ll make big contributions going forward. Moses has been ready, and that’s what you ask of a young player, just to stay ready.”
>
> Warriors guard Stephen Curry says he has confidence in Poole’s ability to bounce back from a rough stretch.
>
> “We need him and he’s more than capable, and has shown the ability to impact games, and the biggest thing for all of us — JP included — is that next-play mentality that is so important at this level,” Curry said. “We have all kind of been there and been through those growing pains of a playoff experience, and it happens, but we can all play better. And we all have to play better if we’re going to win on Sunday.”
>

I think they need to start Green to give them the best chance at
starting the game well (not another 8-0 hole like game six), but they
have to give Poole a chance to get it together. They're not going
anywhere without him.

--Robin