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After the Golden State Warriors removed Stephen Curry's minutes restriction, they'll be putting him back to the starting lineup in Game 5 of their playoffs series against the Denver Nuggets. However, that doesn't mean Jordan Poole is returning to the bench.
According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, Kevon Looney will be moving to the second unit as the Warriors opt for a small-ball lineup. That means Curry, Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green will be starting for the team.
I’m told Steph Curry is expected to return to the starting lineup tonight for Game 5. Kevon Looney will move to the bench, meaning the lethal small-ball lineup will be the starters.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) April 27, 2022
Jordan Poole replaced Stephen Curry in the starting lineup through the first four games of the playoffs series as the superstar eased his way to full health from a foot injury. Curry started with a 20-minute limit in Games 1 and 2 before breaking through the 30-minute threshold in the past two contests.
Sure enough, the general expectation is Poole would get back to his bench role in Curry's return as a starter. But by the looks of it, though, that isn't the case.
Of course Steve Kerr has a good reason to do so. That lineup with the Splash Trio has really been a headache for the Nuggets. While Poole didn't have his best performance in Game 4 that saw Denver take the W and cut the lead to just 3-1, the Dubs remain deadly with their three-header sharpshooters leading the way.
It remains to be seen if Poole can bounce back with Curry alongside him in the starting unit, but it is definitely something Warriors fans must keep an eye on.
