Poole's gritty showing vs. Spurs proves vast improvements

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SAN ANTONIO -- Draymond Green made a declarative statement following the Warriors' 100-94 win Saturday night against the Spurs at AT&T Center: Jordan Poole is the most improved player in the NBA this season.

Now, this wasn't after another game where Poole couldn't miss and served as a Splash Stepbrother. In reality, it was one of his worst shooting nights. That's also exactly why his improvemets this season have been second to none. 

Despite going 3-for-19 from the field, making only one of his 11 3-point attempts and being held scoreless in the first half, Poole still found ways to score 18 points in the second half as the stakes were raised. His shot wasn't falling to start the game, so he played the role of facilitator with seven assists by halftime before knowing the Warriors needed points down the stretch. That's growth, that's maturity. 

"100 percent," Green said when asked if a gritty performance only furthers Poole's case to win Most Improved Player. "I thought the way he kept himself in the game by getting other guys involved, that's growth. You look at where he's come from, the steps that he's taken -- he's been thrown into a situation not many guys would handle well, and that's to essentially, with all due respect, to do his best Steph Curry imitation. 

"Now, doing your best Steph Curry imitation is incredible. Still, Jordan's continued to grow and he's been thrown into that role. Most guys wouldn't handle that well and would fail miserably." 

Steve Kerr isn't going to talk too much about awards or how voters should handle their duties. He doesn't need to. 

Again, this game highlighted to him how big of a step Poole has taken in Year 3, especially on a night where Poole wasn't feeling well and could be seen with a towel draping over him on the bench. Coming from a coach, that's bigger and more important than any vote or award, too. 

"It does to me," Kerr said. "I don't know as far as the voting on the award, I don't know how that factors in. As his coach, as someone who sees him every single day, I'm thrilled with the growth and the maturity. Where he was two and a half years ago to where he is now, it's just dramatic. And he's earned every bit of it. 

"He's just worked so hard, and he's played different roles. He's been our point guard, he's been our two guard. He's started, he's come off the bench and regardless, he's just learned and listened and improved." 

Another indication of Poole's rise was his desire to keep his foot on the gas and go to his comfort zone -- the free throw line -- on a night where his shot simply was off.

Poole went a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe in San Antonio. He didn't take one free throw in the first half, and then made three in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, he made eight free throws to close out the Warriors' win. 

Sure, some of those came late with the Spurs fouling on purpose. But on two separate occasions when the Spurs came within two points, Poole made his way to the line and drained four clutch free throws.

"He had four key free throws down the stretch where they were making their run to stop the bleeding," Green said. "That's what the greats do. That's what these guys who have been doing this all these years, scoring at that level all these years, that's what they do -- get to the free throw line. 

"That was a huge step for him and it was beautiful to see." 

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There's only one Steph Curry. There also are two players tied for the league lead in free throw percentage now at 92.3 percent: Poole and Curry. 

Just one season ago, Poole started seven games and spent 11 games in the G League. He averaged 8.8 points as a rookie and now is barely under 19 points per game in his third year as a pro. Nobody has made a leap like that in the NBA this season.

"All these awards, when there's no criteria and it's just personal opinion ... the award is called the most improved, not who had the best year," Draymond declared. "That's the MVP award, actually. I think a lot of times we get confused when talking about the Most Improved Player and who in that group is having the best year. No disrespect to Ja Morant, but Ja Morant's an MVP candidate. Ja Morant isn't a most improved candidate. Ja Morant was f--kin' incredible last year.

"When you look around, the most improvement has been Jordan Poole, and I think that goes without saying. You go across the list and you show me what those guys did last year and the year before that. You show me what Jordan did last year and the year before that. He is the most improved. If we're going by what the title of the award is, what the name of the award is, then it's easily Jordan. But if we're making up these ideas and going straight off the opinion of who had the best year, then it probably won't be him.

"Let's go by what the award is named and not a group of who people think should win the award." 

Point taken. 

Will the voters listen? Who cares. Draymond knows it, Kerr knows it. There aren't many other voices more important in the Warriors' locker room.

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