3 Golden State Warriors to blame for early postseason exit

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game six of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after a three point basket during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game five of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Chase Center on May 10, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Warriors to blame for early playoff exit: Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole’s 2022-2023 NBA season started with a punch, so it’s only fitting that it ends with one: his performance this postseason delivered a sucker punch to the gut.

After signing a four-year, $123 million contract last October, Poole has turned from championship-caliber superhero to venomously-hated villain in the span of a single season. Golden State fans clamored for him to be traded to China during his Game 6 showing, and they had every reason to feel that way. Through the first half, he had zero points and four fouls.

And that wasn’t an isolated incident, either. Throughout the playoffs, Poole only made 34.1 percent of his shots and averaged 10.3 points per game. As a result, Steve Kerr reduced his minutes and relied more on Moses Moody and Donte DiVicenzo to keep the Warriors’ offensive pulse alive.

Since Poole isn’t a very good defender, the Warriors needed him to consistently sink shots. He couldn’t do that against the Sacramento Kings or the Lakers, and some NBA analysts no longer see him as a piece of the Warriors’ core.

During the regular season, Poole averaged 20.4 points, both dazzling and giving his teammates a panic attack with his explosive, fast and loose offensive plays. The expectation after extending Poole last year was that he would become a more dependable rotational piece, a crutch to lean on if Curry or Thompson need a rest.

But this playoff series revealed the real Jordan Poole, and he’s not pretty:

Jordan Poole plays like Silicon Valley used current AI tech to create a new, more disruptive Steph Curry
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) April 18, 2023

Chaotic and disruptive, but not in the good way.

Moving on from Poole when his stock is lowest, however, may not pay dividends in the future. It’s just a thought — for now.

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