Wiggins and Poole recapturing early season form is crucial to capturing a Warriors’ championship

Poole’s February Struggles for Warriors

I think it’s fair to say that the return of Klay Thompson hasn’t exactly had a positive impact on the form of Jordan Poole.

The first two months of the season showcased Poole at his very best. He attacked the rim with aggression, was a willing cutter, and even knocked down his three-pointers at a respectable clip. Poole was on pace to be in the mix for this season’s most improved player award – but since January his candidacy has taken a complete nosedive.

Against Dallas on Sunday, Poole was 0-for-7 shooting and had only 4 points. He was also minus-12 in the game. The whole month of February in general was just a dire struggle for the 22-year-old.

In 10 outings, Poole averaged just 14.1 points on 25.9 percent shooting from distance – well below the lofty standards he set for himself at the start of the season.

Perhaps he’s been unhappy with his removal from the starting line-up ever since the return of Thompson. And maybe his frustration was compounded by Steve Kerr’s decision to instead place Moses Moody in the starting line-up, with the absence of Thompson against Dallas and Minnesota.

Whatever the reason may be – the Warriors won’t win a championship unless Poole recaptures a version of his early-season form. When Poole plays well, the Warriors almost never lose. He is the ace up their sleeve come playoff time. But only if he plays to the level he’s capable of.