Kurtenbach
Half a title-contending team should beat half a team competing for the No. 1 overall pick.
And that’s what happened, albeit with a bit of stress. Klay Thompson was the best version of himself, making 12 3-pointers, and the Warriors knocked down 14 more to win 116101.
KLAY DAY » Thompson was incredible, and there are few joys in sports like watching him ignite.
You know Thompson is having a special game when he’s scoring off the dribble.
Thompson touched the ball 56 times Friday, and his average time of possession
was a full second longer than his average this season — 2.64 seconds. That’s an eternity by Thompson’s quick-release standards, but it’s because the wing was putting the ball on the floor. The Warriors needed it.
Thompson was calling isolation plays for himself, and he was attacking the basket with free throws in mind. While he only had two official shot attempts from inside the 3-point line, he shot six free throws Friday, tied for his season high.
These kinds of Thompson games should be celebrated, given the wing’s injury history. But they should not be surprising anymore. This wasn’t some new level for Thompson — he’s played at his level all season.
What happened Friday was that the Warriors needed more from their one playing star, and he provided. It’s what all-time great players do.
Conversely, Jordan Poole made a floater with 11:11 to play in the third quarter. That was his final field goal of the night.
Yes, Poole is 23 years old and a non-lottery pick who would be on the Warriors’ bench to start a game under normal circumstances.
But he’s also a player who will soon be on a nine-figure contract and whose only contribution to the team is his incendiary offense.
He did not provide it Friday. He hasn’t provided it enough as of late. Yes, Poole had eight assists against the Rockets,
and every one resulted in a 3-point make, but only two came from any dribble penetration. The Rockets decided that defending above-the-break 3-pointers was beneath them. Simple passes to the right created
open shots. That’s why you don’t remember Poole having a big assist night.
It was more telling that Poole was the only Warrior with a negative rating on Friday. This would have proven more significant
in the contest if not for Thompson’s brilliant game.
Poole is not yet the kind of player the Warriors can rely upon nightly. That reliability might come next season or beyond. It might not.
But undeniably disappointing that it has not shown up with Curry sidelined. There have been moments of control and offensive brilliance, but they were mere flashes. A game of such play has now turned into a quarter of it, at most, if it’s not down to a few possessions.
This stretch was Poole’s opportunity to give the Warriors a glimpse of the future — to prove that he is the team’s star in waiting. If this is the future, the Warriors will have tough decisions to make this summer.