After a rough three-game stretch that included a late turnover in a loss to the Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole is getting some support from his team.
Poole had a costly late in the fourth quarter of the 122-119 loss on January 4, losing control of the ball as he attempted a crossover and giving possession back to the Pistons. The Warriors lost a chance to take the lead, and while Klay Thompson was able to tie the game with a 3-pointer after the Pistons sank a pair of free-throws, Detroit wing Saddiq Bey hit a buzzer-beater to send the Warriors to a crushing loss.
After the game, Thompson and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr both stood behind Poole.
Klay Thompson on Jordan Poole: ‘He’s a Clutch Player’
As The Athletic’s Anthony Slater noted, Wednesday was the third late-game mistake from Poole in the last three games. He also had a late turnover in the 118-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on December 30 and another in the 143-141 win over the Atlanta Hawks in double overtime on January 2.
While the Warriors were able to overcome both of the first two mistakes, they weren’t so lucky on Wednesday as the Pistons were able to call on some last-second heroics to take the win.
But the Warriors stood by Poole. After the loss to Detroit, Thompson said he still has full faith in his young teammate.
“I told him in the locker room there’s a reason I threw him the ball,” Thompson said, via The Athletic. “Because he’s like that. He’s a clutch player. He’s a shot creator. We would not have been on this win streak without him. I know that.”
Full Klay soundbite on the difficulty absorbing early career mistakes
Thompson added that he went through similar struggles early in his own career.
“I mean, shoot, we all go through those lapses early in our career,” Thompson said. “I remember missing two free throws against the Nuggets in my second year and just leaving the arena in my uniform. So, it’s like, we all got to go through it. Steph (Curry) went through it. Jordan, we’re going to continue to trust him with the ball in his hands because he’s an engine that makes us go.”
Steve Kerr Also Stands Behind Poole
Poole still has the faith of his coach as well. Though Kerr has been reluctant to keep some of the younger players in heavy rotation after mistakes — with 2021 lottery picks Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga falling to the back of the rotation at times and third-year big man James Wiseman being sent to the G League — Poole has held his place in the starting lineup.
Kerr pointed out that Poole made a number of important plays as the Warriors were fighting back from a deficit against the Pistons.
“He’s also hitting huge shots,” Kerr said after Wednesday’s loss to the Pistons, via The Athletic. “He hit two big jumpers down the stretch. Jordan’s made so many big plays for us and helped us win so many games. What’s great is that everything is a learning experience for him at this stage of his career. He’s getting a lot of late-game experience. He made the one mistake, but he made two big shots right before that and I thought really played well and played hard all game.”
Warriors Stand By Young Star After Costly Mistake in Loss to Pistons