The last time the Golden State Warriors were down 3-1, they rallied to put an end to the Kevin Durant era in Oklahoma City.
That was almost ten years ago, so they might not have that much left in the tank at this point.
That’s why they’ll need some of the young guys to step up and give Stephen Curry a helping hand, and Jordan Poole is the No. 1 candidate for that purpose.
Poole, however, has been mostly a liability in the playoffs, especially in this series, up to the point where he only played 10 minutes in a must-win Game 4.
Still, Curry doesn’t want him to be the scapegoat or the only player facing criticism, stating that the whole team needs to be better if they want to overcome this situation.
Curry shared these comments following the loss:
"There's no sense in isolating [Jordan Poole] in this situation."
Steph explains that everyone on the Warriors needs to play better to get out of the 3-1 hole pic.twitter.com/CpsiivaqL1
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 9, 2023
Poole’s shot just isn’t falling.
His decision-making and shot selection has never been his biggest strength, but he’s proven to be capable of knocking down shots from all three levels on a consistent basis, regardless of how tightly-contested they might be.
Poole has expressed his frustration over his limited playing time, hinting at that being the reason behind his struggles.
But it’s usually the other way around: You’re not playing poorly because you’re playing less; you’re playing less because you’re playing poorly.
Whatever the case, Steve Kerr might have no choice but to give him a longer leash in that win-or-go-home game on Wednesday night, but he also needs to rise to the occasion, especially after signing such a huge contract in the offseason.
NEXT: Steve Kerr Says Lakers Were Rewarded For Flops In Game 4
