3 Questions the Warriors must answer after the All-Star break
By Cal Durrett
The Golden State Warriors enter the final third of the regular season with a lot of work to do. They are just ninth in the Western Conference and would be in the play-in tournament if the season ended today. Fortunately, they are only three and a half games out of the third seed, giving them something to play for as the season winds down.
Unfortunately, they will still be without superstar Steph Curry, and he doesn’t have a timeline for his return from injury. That means that they won’t be at full strength for at least some of their 23 remaining regular-season games.
The Warriors could always go on a run without Curry and, once he’s back, kick things into high gear. However, this team is far more unpredictable than previous Golden State teams and could continue to struggle until the playoffs. Now, without further delay, here are three questions Golden State must answer after the All-Star break.
Can Jordan Poole play consistently?
After breaking out in 2021–2022, fourth-year player Jordan Poole has played a big role for the Warriors this season. That has primarily been the result of him filling in for Curry, and he has had more than a few big games. On the other hand, he has cost them some too with questionable decisions.
His shot selection can leave a lot to be desired at times, despite his ability to hit tough buckets. He is also known to turn the ball over, including at inopportune times. Many of those turnovers could simply be avoided by not making boneheaded decisions. Then there’s his defense, which can be particularly bad at times. Still, in spite of all of that, Poole is crucial to the team making another championship run. Klay Thompson had a career month in January, which definitely bodes well for Golden State if he’s truly back to his All-Star level.
Still, Poole is an explosive offensive player who can relieve pressure on Curry and Thompson when both are having off nights. Or, he could be the role player who helps put things out of reach. That can be the case again this postseason, but Poole will need to reign in some of his flaws to try to help the Warriors repeat.