Steph’s sage advice to Warriors’ Poole amid struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Warriors need more from fourth-year guard Jordan Poole. It’s been a rough start to the first leg of his four-year, $123 million contract extension he signed in October.
Poole’s efficiency numbers have dropped in just about every category this season, and he has committed the third-most turnovers in the NBA (235). Poole simply hasn’t stepped up to be the consistent, go-to scorer Golden State thought it could rely every night this season.
Warriors guard Steph Curry offered a piece of advice to Poole after practice Tuesday in Dallas.
“Keep doing what you’re doing,” Curry told reporters. “I say that in the sense of the work that he puts in. He’s an extremely hard worker. He has a high standard of himself.
“The biggest piece of what we do on a day-to-day basis is not being on the emotional roller coaster of everything being results based. There are certain things you can’t control, and certain things you can.
“What you can control is how you keep coming back to the lab, as we call it, and putting the time in mentally and physically to keep getting better, and the results will show.”
Curry himself isn’t immune to slumps. Last January, Curry went through the worst statistical month of his career, shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3-point range.
Five months later, Curry was popping champagne in the San Francisco streets to celebrate the Warriors’ fourth championship in eight years and his first NBA Finals MVP.
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“Over the course of 82 [games], there will be highs, there’s going to be lows, there’s going to be everything in between,” Curry said. “Not ever losing confidence within yourself in that process, but also just approaching the game the right way with your energy and effort.
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“That’s usually when good things happen.”
Every game represents an opportunity for Poole to turn the corner. The Warriors (37-36) could use another “Poole Party” Wednesday night in Dallas when they face the Mavericks (36-36) in a pivotal game with huge implications in the Western Conference standings.
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