Draymond Green defends Jordan Poole’s missed 3-pointer in Warriors-Lakers

Draymond defends JP’s missed 3-pointer in Game 1 vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

Warriors veteran Draymond Green is going to bat for his teammate Jordan Poole.

The young Golden State guard found a groove in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday at Chase Center, finishing with 21 points against the Los Angeles Lakers while shooting 6 of 11 from deep. But unfortunately, one shot stood out above the rest for all the wrong reasons.

Green took to his podcast after the Warriors’ 117-112 loss, joining his coach Steve Kerr in defending Poole’s 27-foot shot that nearly tied the NBA playoff game.

“It was also good to see Jordan get going … He hit six threes, but that’s neither here nor there,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.” “I know everyone’s talking about the last three that he missed. Quite frankly, I liked the shot. Obviously, you know, you tell him to eat up the space and take the three a little bit closer.

“He could’ve eaten up the space, but Jordan can shoot the ball, and he got a good look at it.”

Immediately after the game, Kerr told reporters he was “really happy” with Poole’s 3-point attempt and called it a “great shot.” In both Kerr’s and Green’s eyes, Poole’s six threes on the night were as good of a reason as any for him to take advantage of his open look — though, as Green stated, he could have attempted the shot closer to the 3-point line.

“Yes, you want him to take a couple steps in and get an even closer three, but Jordan taking that three is not why we lost that game,” Green said. “And I know everyone’s going to point at that one play and say he never should have shot that three. Prior to that three, he was 6 for 10.

“You’ve got a guy 6 for 10 that you know can shoot the piss out of the ball and you get an open three, you live with it.”

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RELATED: Poole shows new signs of life in Warriors’ loss to Lakers

After a disappointing showing in the Warriors’ first-round series against the Sacramento Kings, Poole bounced back and rediscovered his shot against the Lakers. And missed 3-pointer or not, that’s great news for the Warriors as they look to even the conference semifinals in Game 2 on Thursday at Chase Center.

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