The Golden State Warriors scored 17 points on as many field goal attempts in the fourth quarter of Monday night's loss, a whopping six turnovers doubling their amount of assists and free throw attempts as Game 4 hung in the balance. Even those ghastly numbers aren't an accurate portrayal of just how impossible it proved for the defending champions to produce good looks against the Los Angeles lakers when it mattered most absent Stephen Curry's singular on-ball brilliance.
After tearing the Lakers apart with ball screen after ball screen through the first three quarters, Curry was noticeably fatigued in the final stanza while being mercilessly hunted on the other end and single-handedly keeping his team's offense afloat—a reality never more apparent than on the Dubs' final full possession.
Curry has a one-footed fadeaway in his endlessly deep bag of tricks, but it's normally close to a last resort. A 30-foot step-back over the outstretched arms of perhaps basketball's best paint defender wouldn't be high on Curry's list of preferred shots, too, especially considering the Dubs were down one and the Lakers, playing small, lacked rim-protection with Davis switched onto the perimeter.
Clearly running out of gas in the waning moments of his one-man show, though, what better shots could Curry have reliably mustered? A more salient question for the Dubs entering Wednesday's do-or-die Game 5: Just where was Curry supposed to go with the ball if he was too exhausted to manage his crunch-time best?
Klay Thompson scored nine points on 11 field goal attempts in Game 4, forcing up bad misses from deep on his last two attempts. Andrew Wiggins hadn't found his rhythm all game and was being guarded by LeBron James in the far corner. Moses Moody, still just 20 years old, was getting his very first taste of playoff basketball in the clutch. Draymond Green is, well, Draymond Green.
Steph Curry’s two-way fingerprints, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole’s disappearing act and Moses Moody’s stellar defense highlight reactions from the Dubs' disappointing Game 4.
(via @ArmstrongWinter)https://t.co/SNdQiFAoEi
— Warriors Nation (@WarriorNationCP) May 9, 2023
The mere possibility of a superior option wasn't available to Curry. He knew it and so did the Lakers, setting the stage for a one-on-one battle with Davis that would decide the complexion of this series going forward—and potentially push the the Warriors' dynasty toward its greatest risk in years.
Curry was never supposed to be in that position without another dangerous playmaker next to him.
Even with the chance to substitute on LeBron's prior free throws and a pair of timeouts still in his back pocket, though, Steve Kerr left Jordan Poole on the bench, right where he'd been sitting since the fourth quarter tipped off. It speaks the worst volumes of Poole's performance that Dub Nation's widespread condemnation of Kerr doesn't include the decision to keep Golden State's only dangerous self-creator behind Curry on the sidelines late.
Poole's playoff-long struggles hit a new nadir on Monday. He went scoreless with three assists and two turnovers in a season-low 10 minutes of play, his hair-grabbing penchant for flailing drives and wild shots once again rearing its ugly head.
The Lakers preyed on Jordan Poole defensively, too—the side of the ball that steadily chipped away at his minutes during last year's title run despite mind-blowing efficiency.
Poole's gaudy 62.7% shooting on two-pointers during his postseason debut is barely a distant memory now. He's averaging 10.5 points and 3.5 assists per game this time around, and Poole's 46.2 true shooting percentage in the playoffs is worst among all players who have notched at least 200 minutes, per research at Stathead Basketball.
James got back to playing pick-and-roll predator in the second half of Game 4, mercilessly targeting Curry. The Dubs' starting lineup change paid off, Gary Payton II making hay as a decision-maker on the roll and finisher from the dunker spot while hounding D'Angelo Russell defensively. Moody impressed as much as anyone relative to expectations, and Donte DiVincenzo flew around the floor, pushing in transition, aggressively crashing the boards and going 2-of-4 from deep.
As this series shifts back to the Bay for a close-out Game 5, it's easy to believe Golden State might excise Poole from the rotation altogether. He certainly didn't do anything Monday to deserve extended minutes with the Warriors' back against the wall.
This team was never going anywhere without Jordan Poole playing close to last year's ceiling, though. Just because his step back as a decision-maker this season never lessened Curry's pull on the offensive reins doesn't mean Poole occupies any less significant a space in Golden State's overall makeup. The Dubs will need all hands on deck to stave off elimination Wednesday night and beyond, a peak collective effort that requires Poole's instantly flammable shot-making prowess and rare off-dribble burst to make a sudden return.
Poole was more comfortable at Chase Center throughout an up-and-down regular season, his confidence buoyed by playing in front of the Dubs' home crowd. Could Game 5 be the breakout that keeps the season alive and re-ignites Poole as an indispensable piece of Golden State's attack?
Pretty much everything he's done in the playoffs up to this point suggests it's unlikely. On verge of a franchise-shaking second-round exit, though, the Dubs are far better off rolling that dice than wondering what might've been if Jordan Poole was once again relegated to the bench.
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