Golden State Warriors: 3 reasons to believe in their hot start

Golden State Warriors reason #2: The emergence of Jordan Poole

Through 10 games, Jordan Poole is averaging 18.2 points and 3.5 assists on 45.4% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc. The third-year man is making the most of his opportunity, as he has been inserted into the everyday starting lineup alongside Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney.

In previous years, the Warriors have relied on the inconsistent Wiggins to provide secondary offense alongside Curry’s brilliance. This season, Steve Kerr and company have put their trust in Poole, and he has delivered everything they could have asked for. There were signs of this jump last season, as he averaged 12 points off the bench in just under 20 minutes a game.

Now, in almost 29 minutes per contest, he has a 27.5% usage rate (74th percentile) with good results. He’s proven himself as one of the best guard finishers in the league, shooting 70% at the rim this season. He gets there quite frequently and converts on his chances, as 31% of his shots come at the rim, placing him in the 81st percentile for guards.

By having a guard that has the ability to both drive and spot-up alongside Steph Curry, the Warriors’ offense is difficult to stop. Opposing defenses spend so much time chasing Curry around screens, Poole can often use his quick first step for easy shots at the rim.

Poole will most certainly never get to Curry’s level, but he has fallen into the same type of player mold as the former MVP, providing Golden State with more shot creators and makers – something that they have lacked in past seasons.