Thompson tips Jordan Poole for Most Improved Player award

Klay Thompson has been so impressed with Jordan Poole that he claims ”it wouldn’t make sense” if the 22-year-old guard didn’t pick up this year’s Most Improved Player award. Making his playoff debut on Saturday, Poole scored 30 points on just 13 shots for the Golden State Warriors in their 123-107 Game 1 win over the Denver Nuggets. Poole started in place of Stephen Curry, who came off the bench to make his first appearance exactly month after suffering a sprained ligament in his left foot.

Thompson was full of praise for Poole, who is only the third Warriors player to score 30 points in an opening playoff game. “Jordan Poole - Wow! what a playoff debut. I mean, all his hard work is paying off. “If he doesn’t get Most Improved this year, it just doesn’t make any sense. Without him, we would not be where we’re at. So, Dub Nation, we should be very grateful for Jordan’s development and the type of player he’s become, he’s just incredible. I mean, what a star in the making. And as far as being out there with Steph, and him, and Wiggs and Draymond, it’s a scary site when we really get going - this is really only our first time playing together,” Thompson said in his post-game press conference.

Poole and Thompson built up a good understanding during the regular season and in Curry’s absence, combining for 49 points off 16-of-28 shooting from the floor, including 10-of-17 from beyond the perimeter line. “I felt pretty prepared,” Poole said after the game. “The coaching staff, they did a really good job getting the game plan up, setting it up. And then we did a really good job as a team going out there and executing. Coaches tell me just to be me within the offense and really just try to help us win a game. Games change all the time, you’ve got to be ready”