Warriors' Jordan Poole Compared to Steph Curry, Gets MIP Praise for Win vs. Grizzlies
The Golden State Warriors held on to edge out the Memphis Grizzlies 117-116 in Game 1 of their 2022 NBA playoff series.
Ja Morant had an opportunity to win the game for the Grizzlies but watched his layup attempt bounce off the glass as the buzzer sounded.
Stephen Curry wasn't at his best yet dropped 24 points and went 5-of-12 from beyond the arc. Jordan Poole was the Warriors' best performer as he poured in a team-high 31 points and flirted with a triple-double by adding nine assists and eight rebounds.
Poole has taken a big step forward in his third season, and his omission from the list of finalists for Most Improved Player certainly didn't sit well in the Bay Area. Even though individual awards are based on the regular season, the playoffs are making the Most Improved Player voting look even more puzzling in retrospect.
Because they occupy the same roster, comparisons between Poole and Curry are inevitable. While they aren't interchangeable stylistically, Poole might one day inherit the mantle Curry leaves behind.
If nothing else, this postseason could be a major coming-out party for Poole. The extent to which his confidence has grown was evident in his performance.
One of the game's biggest flash points came in the second quarter when Draymond Green was assessed a flagrant-2 foul on Brandon Clarke.
The official ruling didn't go down well on social media:
In practical terms, Golden State was left without its best perimeter defender for a majority of Sunday's contest. To earn a road win under those circumstances has to leave head coach Steve Kerr thrilled.
Looking at the bigger picture, Poole's breakout is the kind of thing that can put the Warriors over the top in the title race, too.
