Warriors press conference: Klay Thompson passes playoff torch to Jordan Poole

It seems as though Klay Thompson has passed the playoff torch to his Golden State Warriors teammate Jordan Poole after his dominating Game 1 performance vs. the Denver Nuggets.

Jordan Poole had a playoff debut for the ages, as his Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson took notice.

Golden State defeated the Denver Nuggets at home in their first playoff game in three seasons 123-107 on Saturday night. Poole had a game-high 30 points in 30 minutes. With Thompson finally back in the postseason since tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals vs. the Toronto Raptors, it seems as though the future hall-of-famer has passed the playoff torch off to Poole.

“To be 20 years old and have to deal with what he did as a rookie … he’s 22 years old and he’s out there scoring 30 effortlessly … I just can’t say enough good things about him,” said Thompson at the podium on Saturday night about his emerging star teammate Poole.

Klay Thompson recognizes game and praises Jordan Poole at the podium

If the Warriors are going to win another NBA Finals with the core of Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, they will need a fourth star, so to speak, to step up his game. Curry is still the alpha of the bunch and Green is having a fantastic year when healthy. As far as Thompson is concerned, he cannot be expected to be the Warriors’ second-best player on a quest to win it all.

That is why Poole’s rise to prominence is so important. With him finally being on the big stage of the postseason, it looks to be one he is not afraid of. Yes, the Warriors’ triumphant return to the NBA playoffs was a home date vs. the Nuggets, but Denver is a very difficult first-round matchup for almost anyone. While teams like the Phoenix Suns loom large, Golden State seem to be ready.

Though one would expect for Michael Malone to make an adjustment in this best-of-seven series to better contain Golden State’s shooting star, it is all about playing with great confidence for Poole from here on out. For Thompson to give him is due at the podium, it speaks volumes. It signifies one thing and one thing only for the Warriors: Golden State only cares about winning.

Look for Poole to continue to flourish in the spotlight of playing meaningful playoff basketball.