"I don't like that shot at all"- Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal livid with Jordan Poole for an ill-advised shot late in Game 1
Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley lambasted Jordan Poole for his attempted 30-foot jumper to tie Game 1 against the LA Lakers on Tuesday. The Warriors had 10 seconds left on the clock, down three points, when Poole made the wild attempt.
The Dubs could've had a better shot with time left on the clock. O'Neal and Barkley didn't hesitate in letting their feelings known about Poole's ill-advised shot on TNT's "Inside The NBA" show.
"I don't like that shot at all," O'Neal echoed Barkley's opinion.
"I don't like that shot at all."
Chuck, Shaq and Kenny react to Jordan Poole's missed 3-pointer near end of Lakers-Warriors Game 1 https://t.co/JMwq0FvmWA
The Warriors did an excellent job offensively of finding the open man on the perimeter. They went 21-of-53 from deep due to that, which left many fuming at Jordan Poole's shot selection. The Lakers took the timeout as Dennis Schroder cashed in the winning free throws to seal a 117-112 win for LA.
Poole had a solid game otherwise as he returned to form after a dismal opening-round performance against the Sacramento Kings. The fourth-year guard scored 21 points and dished out six assists off the bench, shooting a team-high 46.1%, including six 3-pointers.
He gave them much-needed relief in the second half as the Lakers started to extend their lead to double-digits. However, his end-of-game play has overshadowed his best game of the 2023 playoffs.
Warriors need better decision-making from Jordan Poole moving forward
Jordan Poole emerged as one of the best players for the Golden State Warriors in their 2022 championship run. He played with great poise throughout that postseason. However, it's been a different story for the rising star this year.
Poole has struggled with his decision-making. He has also been inefficient and turnover-prone. His ill-advised shot at the end of Game 1 against the LA Lakers summed up his season so far.
Jordan Poole missed the potential game-tying shot from DEEP 😳 https://t.co/FOUWLDw6Gq
The Warriors cannot afford Poole misfiring in the playoffs. His tough nights in the series against the Kings contributed to the Dubs' failure to close the series early, and that could be the case against the Lakers too.
The Warriors' bench depth is already thin compared to last year, so they need a more focused version of Jordan Poole. They got that before the final shot, which nearly helped them prevail against the Purple and Gold.
Nevertheless, Poole and the Warriors can look at the positives from this game. His comeback to form is crucial in this series. He averaged only 12.0 points on 34/26/77 splits against the Kings, so a 21-point effort on 6-of-11 3-point shooting will be great for his confidence.