The Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole has faced a lot of criticism for taking a deep shot against the Lakers in Game 1. However, as an NBA analyst, I want to defend Poole’s decision to take that shot.
Former NBA player JJ Redick believes it wasn’t a bad shot, and I agree. Poole knew that he might not get another clean look later in the game, and he’s not the average NBA player. He’s no stranger to knocking down 30-footers, and his sharpshooting and shot-making abilities earned him a big payday in the offseason.
.@jj_redick says he has NO issues with Jordan Poole's final shot 👀 pic.twitter.com/X1kmuZAwQ6
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 3, 2023
Coach Steve Kerr trusted Poole to take that shot with the game on the line, and he chose not to call a timeout. Why would he do that if he didn’t believe in Poole’s ability to make that shot? And why have Poole on the floor at all if he’s not going to shoot?
Sure, everyone would rather have Stephen Curry take that shot, but he was double-teamed, and Poole’s closest defender was far away from him. Poole was wide open, and it was the right shot to take, even if he could’ve taken a couple of steps forward.
It’s worth noting that Poole has been on the wrong end of several late-game blunders throughout his career, which might explain why people are being so hard on him. But in this case, he did the right thing. He took the shot, and it almost went in.
We can’t fault him for taking that shot. That’s what you want your players to do in those situations. You’ve got to take it, and Poole did just that. He gave the Warriors a chance to tie the game, and that’s all you can ask for.
Draymond Green defends Jordan Poole controversial shot, but Warriors must improve in Game 2
Draymond Green has defended Jordan Poole’s missed three-pointer, stating that he liked the shot and that Poole’s ability to shoot is not why the Warriors lost Game 1 against the Lakers.
Green acknowledged that Poole could have taken a couple of steps in to eat up the space and take an even closer three, but given Poole’s 6-for-10 record prior to the missed shot, he believed that the team should live with it.
Green also took responsibility for his own performance, saying that there were things he personally could have done to prevent the team from being in that situation.
Despite Green’s defense of Poole’s shot, the Warriors will need to play better basketball in Game 2 if they want to avoid a short series against the Lakers. The team struggled with turnovers and poor shooting in Game 1, and will need to make adjustments to keep up with the Lakers.
While Steph Curry put up an impressive performance with 37 points, he was double-teamed for much of the game, leaving other players to step up. If the Warriors can improve their overall performance and capitalize on their opportunities, they may have a chance to even the series.
