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It only took the Golden State Warriors halfway through the first quarter of their first preseason game to accomplish what took them a few months a season ago: a smooth, performing offense.
Thanks in large part to a pair of first three from Jordan Poole – more on him in a moment – and the steady, controlling hand of Steph Curry, the Dubs scored 18 points over the Portland Trail Blazers in a matter of moments.
Yes, it was just a preseason game, but seeing the offense work and flourish after finishing 20th in the offensive standings a year ago is a welcome sight nonetheless.
From there, Poole dominated. We’re a long way from seeing if the exhilarating young guard can make another leap into his third year, but if Monday night were any indication, he could be destined for greatness this season. Poole needed just 22 minutes and 17 shots to score a record 30 points, shooting 7 for 13 from distance and adding 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 interception and 2 blocks, with just one turnover.
Poole was a key part of a third-quarter run that turned a halftime tie into a double-digit lead, with the Dubs beating the Blazers 40-25 in third frame. From there, both teams got things back on the bench and Golden State took a 121-107 victory.
Curry didn’t have a dominant shooting performance, but seemed perfectly in control all night, with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in just 20 minutes of action.
Most of the offseason signings seemed to fit in perfectly; Andre Iguodala and Nemanja Bjelica both struggled with their scoring efficiency, but each seemed comfortable in the system, doing the right readings and helping the ball find the right hands. Otto Porter Jr. has confirmed that, if he is in good health, he could be one of the league’s best rookies this year: in 18 minutes, Porter had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, while shooting 4 against 7 out of three. range of points and providing its standard quality defense. Avery Bradley, on the other hand, struggled a lot and didn’t look entirely comfortable, despite registering 3 interceptions.
Mychal Mulder shot 3-6 from a distance as he made a strong case for 15th in the roster – especially with Bradley struggling and Gary Payton II not playing. And although this was only a preseason game, Steve Kerr didn’t face rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody until the game was over. as a result, neither of them made much note.
Wins and losses don’t really matter much in the preseason, but winning is always fun. And when it comes to the offensive that seems to already find its place, well… so much the better.
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