Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole must know by now that if he’s to earn playing time with the game on the line, he’s got to effectively play alongside superstar guard Stephen Curry.
That task might be more difficult than it sounds — Poole is a combo guard, as is Curry. But Poole and Curry have been on the floor together more often lately, and it’s working spectacularly well.
According to The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss, and by way of The Light Years Podcast’s Sam Esfandiari, the Warriors’ lineup has a plus-16.6 net rating in 204 minutes with Poole and Curry each on the court.
In the above clip (on the second play of the clip), that’s Poole hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer during the Warriors’ improbable win against the Suns on Tuesday. He’s already proven his can be instant offense for coach Steve Kerr, and now he’s shown that he can tone his swag down, if you will, and play alongside Curry, who obviously takes the lead between the two.
I expect Kerr to play these two more often, starting in Sunday’s big matchup with Memphis, and for as long as this season continues. Call it double trouble, double vision, or something of the sort — Curry and Poole, while Curry is very obviously the better player, have very similar playing styles.
Poole is even starting to attract the attention of the defense, and my word, how Curry needs another teammate that can do that. Watch to see how much they are on the court together on Sunday, and certainly by next season, I expect these two to be on the court more often, especially in small-ball lineups to make room for star shooting guard, Klay Thompson.
(Photo credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
Bay Area Sports Hub 