Warriors' Jordan Poole claps back at 'extra slander' after Sixers win

Warriors star Jordan Poole used his 33-point outburst against the Sixers to clap back at his recent detractors.

The Golden State Warriors got their final home stand of the regular season off with a bang on Friday, withstanding a monstrous effort from Joel Embiid to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 120-112 at Chase Center. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 33 points, exploding for 19 points on just nine shots in the fourth quarter alone to spearhead the Warriors' comeback.

Poole scored from all over the floor when it mattered most, giving Golden State some breathing room on the scoreboard with his sixth and final triple as the game clock read 1:18. The Sixers never got closer than five points before the buzzer sounded.

After the game, though, Poole seemed proudest of his improved defensive performance. Asked if his palpable vigor on that side of the ball was an indication ‘Playoff JP' has already arrived, Poole took the opportunity to light-heartedly clap back at his recent detractors.

“It's definitely playoff JP, but what's crazy is that y'all know that…is that you guys know that,” he told Festus Ezeli. “So I don't wanna hear anything else, all of that extra slander that y'all be talking about. Y'all know what it is.”

JP doesn't want to hear anymore slander 😂 pic.twitter.com/ym90FpjaF7

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 25, 2023

Jordan Poole has come under fire among fans and analysts alike of late for his lacking defensive effort and execution. His quietly lackluster 3-point shooting and penchant for wild unforced errors has contributed to the Warriors underachieving, too.

But Poole was on the floor in crunch-time against Philadelphia, notable given Steve Kerr's hesitance to play him during the final minutes of close games throughout 2022-23. Embiid can't target weak individual defenders at will like superstar ball handlers do, but Poole's execution of team defense and fight on the glass at least didn't hurt Golden State late—key if he wants to be on the floor sometimes in the clutch when Gary Payton II and (hopefully) Andrew Wiggins return.

Could Friday's performance spark the much-needed momentum Poole needs to overcome his relative season-long struggles? That “Playoff JP” is here before April certainly suggests as much.