The Golden State Warriors are not looking like the championship favorites most people expected them to be heading into this season. The team is currently sitting with a record of 4 wins and 7 losses so far, which is not the start the defending champions were looking for.
One of the main culprits for this struggle is the Warriors’ bench unit, which is headlined by Jordan Poole. Poole received a massive extension this summer to be the Warriors’ sixth man, but he hasn’t been able to command the unit and lead it to success.
Poole has one of the worst net ratings in the league and ranks among one of the worst defenders this season. The Warriors’ bench, in general, can’t defend, and that’s been the problem. However, coach Steve Kerr has come out and defended Poole’s offensive struggles from criticism by claiming he is guarded by the best defenders in the NBA.
Kerr says Jordan Poole has been guarded by the opposition's best defender each night, which might contribute to some of his early-season struggles.
— C.J. Holmes (@HolmesScribe) November 9, 2022
Poole is averaging 15.2 points, 4.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds this season, with his scoring coming on poor efficiency. Shooters often go cold, so Kerr is relying on Poole to find his rhythm once again and be the bench leader that he got paid to be.
He averaged 18.5 points, 4 assists, and 3.4 assists last season in a breakout campaign. He was crucial in their championship run as well, so this cold start to the season will worry some people in the organization, given the financial commitment they’ve made to him could lead to the departures of iconic stars like Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
Can The Warriors Turn Their Season Around?
Through the first 11 games, nobody will look at the Warriors and be convinced of their ability to contend in the West this year. While Stephen Curry is having a phenomenal season, the team as a whole hasn’t been matching up to the high standards Curry has set.
It’s too early in the season to count anyone out, especially the team with 4 championships in the last decade. The young players that make up the Warriors’ bench are bound to improve as the season progresses, and Golden State will be looking forward to making a run at the top of the Conference through the remainder of the season.
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