NFL
By: Christopher Jordan
The Golden State Warriors have another splash brother, and his name is Jordan Poole. In the first 2 games, Poole is averaging 29.5 points per game. He’s shooting the ball 58 percent from three-point range.
Through the first 2 games, Poole has been Golden State’s leading scorer and he’s emerging as a star in these playoffs.
Poole has improved his game so much in only his three-year in the NBA. If he keeps playing this way the Warriors are going to be a tough team for anyone to beat.
Stephen Curry came off the bench for a second straight game following a month-long absence with a foot injury, scoring 34 points to lead the Warriors past the Denver Nuggets 126-106 on Monday night for a 2-0 lead in their-best-of-seven playoff series.
Curry hit a highly contested three and hit the ground getting fouled to convert a four-point play, exhibiting all the signs he’s healthy and ready to make a deep playoff run.
Curry also became the 27th player in the NBA history to score 3,000 career postseason points.
Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, and Klay Thompson combined for 84 points, and they may have the best shooting team in these playoffs.
Thompson has looked good in his first playoffs since 2019 and he’s getting better and better each game he plays.
The Nuggets went ahead 43-31 on a Monte Morris layup at the 7:25 mark of the second quarter and the Warriors answered with a 16-0 run. At that point, the Warriors never looked back and took control of this game.
Golden State’s small-ball lineup seems to be too much for the Nuggets to overcome. When the Warriors go small it causes problems for Denver. Jokic looks gassed at times, and he has to put so much energy on the defensive side of the ball.
Draymond Green made Nikola Jokic frustrated and uncomfortable which led to him getting ejected in this ball game.
In the first quarter, Golden State guard Gary Payton II patted Jokic on the backside and the big man turned and came toward Payton when Curry stepped in and held the 7-footer back and Jordan Poole came in to help.
The frustration just keeps boiling over with this team. During the Warriors’ 44-point third quarter, Denver DeMarcus Cousins and Will Barton exchange words.
” That’s two games in a row where you’re in the game, then in a snap of the finger you’re out of the game, and it just seems like it happens that quickly. So, I think it’s just frustration,” coach Michael Malone said.
The Nuggets need anyone outside of Jokic to step up if they want to get back in this series. The absence of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr is showing.
Jokic shot 9 for 20 and has missed all eight of his eight 3-point tries in two games. Denver committed costly turnovers once more, 18 of them leading to 25 Warriors points – something Malone stressed couldn’t happen.
Game 3 is a must-win for the Nuggets and they need to find a way to contain this offense if they want any shot at winning this series.
On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors have the Nuggets right where they want them, and they need to end this series soon as possible because Denver is frustrated, and they look like a team that just doesn’t have enough outside of Jokic.
If the Nuggets somehow lose game 3 on Thursday night. This series will be over because theirs no way Denver will beat Golden State for consecutive games.
The Nugget’s season is on the line and who all rise to the occasion and get back in this series.
Will Denver win game 3 or will the Warriors take full control of this series? [pickup_prop id=”23453″]
