Why is it surprising to hear Draymond Green defending Jordan Poole’s missed shot?

With the criticism that’s been leveled at the Warriors star across both the season and postseason, it’s safe to say that his effort at the end of Game 1 didn’t do his reputation any favors. None the less, both he and the team will have to get back on the horse if they’re to avoid falling further behind in their series with the Lakers.

Jordan Poole criticized after missed final shot in Game 1

If you caught Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers, you will know that it was a tight affair. So much so in fact, that had Jordan Poole scored his three-point attempt in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, it would have tied the game. Needless to say, Poole came in for heavy criticism after the game, but not so much for having missed the shot, but rather for not getting closer to the line - he shot from more than a meter away. Indeed, some even questioned why he didn’t try to get the ball back to Steph Curry given the amount of time that remained. At any rate, one teammate came to his immediate defense and it was none other than Draymond Green.

What did Draymond Green say about Jordan Poole’s miss?

Speaking on his podcast, Green made it clear that he was behind his teammate. “I know everyone’s talking about the last 3 that he missed,” Green said. “Quite frankly, I liked the shot. You know, obviously, you tell him to eat up the space and take the 3 a little bit closer. He could have eaten up the space, but Jordan can shoot the ball and he got a good look at it. Yes, you want him to take a couple steps in and get an even closer 3, but Jordan taking that 3 is not why we lost that game. ...I know everyone’s gonna point to that one play and say ‘he shoulda never shot that 3.’ Prior to that 3, he was 6-10 [from 3]. You got a guy that’s 6-10 that you know can shoot the piss out of the ball and you get an open 3, you live with it. There were some things I personally could have done to make sure we weren’t even in that situation.”

Why is Draymond Green’s defense of Jordan Poole interesting?

While it would be fair to say that Poole hasn’t enjoyed a stellar campaign, he was in fact one of the Warriors’ best players on the court before that fateful 3-point attempt. On the night, he finished with 21 points on 7-of-15 from the field and six assists. Yet, that’s not what catches the eye here where Green’s statements are concerned. You may recall that back in October of last year Green was suspended by the team after reports indicated that he had punched Poole in the face during a practice session. Indeed, a leaked video of the incident appeared to confirm that it was in fact the case. Needless to say, Green’s defense of his teammate does raise a few eyebrows but in the grand scheme of things is hopefully an indication that the Warriors are a team that’s together once again. They will need to be if they are to bring the series level having now lost home court advantage to the Lakers.