Poole explains what he can learn from Steph's shooting slump

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Jordan Poole was drafted into the ideal situation for a guard with his talent for scoring the basketball. The third-year Warriors guard gets to spend every day watching how the greatest shooter of all time goes about his business.

Poole has been a sponge around Steph Curry early in his career. Now, with the two-time MVP mired in the longest shooting slump of his career, Poole also can learn how to deal with the turbulence that prolific shooters sometimes face.

"Just keep shooting," Poole told reporters Sunday the Warriors' 94-92 win over the Utah Jazz.  "I told him that every shot he took today look good, like, all of the looks he shot. We see the shots that he's taking, he's practicing, and we know how good of a shooter he is. We wouldn't want any other thing. He's still extremely aggressive, and he was getting a lot of good looks, and it was opening everything up for our team. Everybody else has to step up. We know if he hits a couple of those, it could be a 40-point night or a 50-point night for him. So, just continuing to trust what you do and kind of have no conscience. Continue to be who you are. That's what I take away from it, if anything."

After scoring 13 points on 5-of-20 shooting, including 1-of-13 from deep, against the Jazz, Curry is now well into the second month of this prolonged slump.

He shot 40.4 percent from the field, including 37.4 percent beyond the arc in December. He’s shooting 37.1 and 32.7 through 11 games in January.

There have been potential turning points -- a 19-point effort against the Chicago Bulls and a buzzer-beater against the Houston Rockets -- but neither has helped Curry exit the deep-freeze where he currently resides.

“Every shot I take, I think I’m going to make,” Curry said. “And unless it’s way off or there’s something off-balance ... it’s a surprise when (I) don’t make it.

“Tonight, I probably would only nitpick the last three (shots) I took. I took 12 good shots for me, and I’m not worried about the selection as much as just figuring out what needs to change in terms of knocking them down and finding the joy in just shooting the ball. That’s always been a part of my game, so I’ve got to be better at that.”

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Of course, as Curry goes, so go the Warriors.

Golden State's offense, which was ranked No. 2 in offensive rating through the first six weeks, was No. 18 in December and ranks 28 in January.

Curry isn't searching for answers. He knows the shots will start falling, they always do.

“Who gives a damn about excuses,” he said. “You either make shots or miss shots. I’ve got to start making shots.”

Poole and the Warriors need Curry to thaw out soon. Their quest to rediscover their identity can't be fully complete until the gravitational center of their offense is restored.

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