Jordan Poole Becomes Youngest Player with 5+ Threes in a Finals Game
The NBA playoffs have proven that the league is in good hands for the future with guys like Jordan Poole, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, and others all stepping up when the lights were the brightest. The latest performance came from Poole who scored 17 points in Game Two of the Finals while hitting five three pointers. Two of which came at the end of the third quarter where he put Daniel Theis in a blender and hit a deep three. And then with six seconds left he dribbled up the floor and drained a half-court shot that ignited the crowd.
Poole is the youngest player to make at least five three-pointers in one game during the Finals at age 22. The list includes players who fans might expect, Curry who has the most at 9, Klay, KD, Lebron, Kawhi, and others. This came at a great time for Poole who had been struggling to find his shot in the Finals. After Game One the question was who will step up apart from Curry or who will score while he sits? And JP answered the question in Game Two.
He might not have scored thirty but those plays I mentioned above were enough to get the crowd going along with his teammates. In a perfect scenario, JP, Curry, and Klay all hit five three-pointers and the Warriors blow out the Celtics by 30 , but their defense is too good to allow them to do that. With Game Three being in Boston there is no doubt that Ime Udoka will make adjustments defensively to help stop Poole and Curry from getting hot.
This is what separates the good players from the great ones. The ability to score even with multiple defenses being thrown your way. And for Poole he has mastered it early, with this year only being his third year in the NBA. His progression is a clear sign that the Warriors development coaches and G-League team deserve credit for allowing the young guys to prosper and flourish. Players like Looney, Lee, Kuminga, Moody, Poole, and others spent time in the G-League and came back better. It was even a way for Curry, Klay, and Wiseman to work out while coming back from injury. The Warriors have made it obvious that they figured out the right balance of veteran depth while also being prepared for the future through outlets like the G-League and the draft.
That trust in their guys has been evident since before their championship runs. Curry, Klay, Draymond, and before he left, Barnes, all were drafted and stayed with the team to spark their historic run in 2015. And now in 2022 we are seeing that same trust in the front office. Poole, Moody, Kuminga, and Wiseman all were recently drafted and all look like they could develop into incredible scorers once the core trio retires. As of now though the team is looking to capture a championship after two years of missing the playoffs and will need all the help they can get from Jordan Poole as he looks to replicate his play from Game Two.
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