Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers: Two things we learned
1. Jordan Poole is a third year player
It’s been a whirlwind rise for Jordan Poole throughout preseason and the opening game against the Lakers, leading to vast comparisons and the possibility of high benchmarks. We don’t need to learn that he’s just entered his third year in the league, but more so that with that comes the ups and downs that young players carry.
Poole struggled to the point he was becoming visibly frustrated with the referees in the fourth quarter, ending with nine points, four rebounds, and four assists whilst shooting 4-14 from the floor.
There were some concerning plays where he rushed things and didn’t seem like the controlled decision maker we saw in preseason, however, he’s built up enough confidence amongst fans to give him a pass on what was a down game.
2. Bench contributions continue
As good as Curry was, there were some other positive contributions, particularly from the bench again. As he was against the Lakers, Lee was good to the point where he closed the game alongside Curry.
In his first two games back in a Warriors jersey, Andre Iguodala has displayed that he still has plenty to offer at NBA level. Given the small ball style, Otto Porter Jr. saw more minutes than he had against the Lakers, providing some good moments of his way to a team-high +13 (tied with Iguodala).
The Warriors must be buoyed by the fact they’ve yet to string together two four-quarter performances, yet have come away with victories against two quality conference rivals.
They now begin a stretch they could well and truly capitalize upon, starting with a game in Sacramento on Sunday.