Jordan Poole has been a polarizing figure this season.
His world has changed dramatically since signing a four-year, $123 million extension. While his raw scoring average has improved by 2.5 points (18.5 to 21.0), his overall shooting efficiency has declined (from 54.8 eFG% last season to 51.4 eFG% this season).
While his 2-point shooting hasn’t dropped much (55.0 percent to 53.1 percent), and his free throw percentage (86.1 percent) is still considered well above average, it’s nowhere near last season’s league-leading Far (92.5%).
His outside shooting has been an issue. Historically, free throw percentage has been the primary measure of outside shooting potential. Given Poole’s above-average performance in this regard, one would logically conclude that he has all the makings of an above-average three-point shooter.
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He took 9.3 shots per 75 possessions last season and shot 36.4 percent just above the league average (35.4 percent). The general consensus among pundits is that as long as he keeps climbing, he’ll eventually be a lethal shooter — just like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
However, not only has that not been the case this season, his percentage on the field has dropped significantly. While his shot attempts remained about the same level (9.0 per 75 possessions), his shooting percentage dropped to 33.1 percent, about three percentage points below the league average (36.0 percent).
Also, shot selection is a big issue. He sometimes shoots in the heat of confrontation, or when his body is not balanced, which leads to a decline in open three-point attempts. Last season, he was able to hit 35.4 percent of his “open” 3-pointers (defined as being 4-6 feet away from the nearest defender), and this season has dropped to just 31.3 percent.
Aside from Poole’s struggles from beyond the arc, his shooting percentages from other spots on the floor are pretty much the same as they were last season, or even slightly up. There hasn’t been a particularly dramatic change in his overall mid-range shot — 45 percent last season, 43 percent this season — nor has his floater percentage (45 percent) changed significantly from last season (47 percent).
Just like last season, his ability to put pressure on the rim is still his forte this season, but he’s still not getting to the rim with the speed that people hope he can. According to Cleaning the Glass, just 23 percent of his shots this season and last season came within 4 feet of the rim.
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The reason Poole is considered to be Curry’s backup, and has even been described as a “double” is his long-range shooting potential and the threat it may pose. His ability to move off the ball in response to Curry and Thompson has also raised expectations that he will be a Curry-style offensive weapon.
One of the things that puts him on par with Curry is his finishing around the rim. In terms of field goal success at the rim alone, Curry has never dropped below 51 percent in his career. Additionally, his overall field goal success rate among point guards has only been below the 66th percentile once, and that was in his third season in the league (41st percentile).
Curry is shooting 76 percent this season, ranking 93rd among point guards; Poole is shooting 68 percent, ranking 78th among combo guards. If there’s really one point of like-for-like comparison between the two, it’s how they ended up.
This means that Poole can also apply the tactics set up for Curry, whether it is the ability to pull up directly from long distance, or the threat posed by the slide.
Here’s a highlight segment:
The Golden State Warriors’ term for this tactic is “Dive Roll”, which is an extension of “HORNS Twist”. Literally, someone slides after setting the first cover (sometimes even without cover, as in the case above), and someone from the other side comes up and sets another cover.
Poole denies the second screen because he knows the Clippers will choose not to switch. But since Mason Plumlee couldn’t get back to the paint to protect the rim, Poole was able to drive all the way to the rim for an easy layup.
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Let’s look at another example:
In this particular “Dive Roll” instance, Draymond Green rolls to the weakside after setting a false screen. At the same time Jonathan Kuminga came to set screen from the other side (he saw Green gesture to Kuminga, obviously trying to tell him the situation). Poole again denies the screen because Plumlee has no coverage at this point and the defender is again chasing the screener. Kawhi Leonard was forced to step up as Poole touched the paint. That leaves Green open for Poole to find him and pass for an easy score.
Poole’s aggressiveness and attempts to put pressure on the rim don’t just show up on layups and paint dominance. He made 11 of 12 free throws on the day, a departure from his typical average of 5.5 free throws per 75 possessions.
Poole had 34 points (on 67.2 percent shooting) against the Los Angeles Clippers, including 22 of them in the third quarter, showing his aggressiveness and tenacity around the rim.
He’s had some headaches this season due to questionable shot selection. But there’s no question he’s at his best whenever he manages to hit the box. Establishing an inside-out pattern and good shot selection will make it easier for him to enter sharpshooter mode.
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[Contributing Editor Lin Changyi/Responsible Editor Xie Yiqian]
This article is compiled for reference:How ballscreen-centered sets can help unleash Jordan Poole’s potency
