Inside JP's tense post-Game 4 locker room media availability originally appeared nbc sports birea
warriors needed good version of Jordan Poole to step up Monday night, but the fourth-year NBA guard failed to score in 10 minutes of action Golden State's 104-101 Game 4 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
With the Warriors' 2022-23 season on the brink as they try to climb out of a three-games-to-one series hole, only coach Steve Kerr and guards Gary Payton II and Steph Curry spoke to reporters on the podium at the game.
Poole, however, was approached by reporters in the locker room, and he reluctantly talked for about two minutes.
Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area was in the room. During “Warriors Postgame Live,” he provided a glimpse of what the scene was like inside the tight quarters of the locker room.
“I was in the locker room when Jordan Poole spoke. It's been a while since he spoke, but before we get to what he said, let me just paint a picture of what that locker room was like. So Warriors PR Were coming. And saying ‘Jordan, would you like to talk after the game?' He seemed a little reluctant. You could tell he was very disappointed. He was actually facing his locker, so as reporters gathered around him when it became clear he'd be talking to us, His back was towards us.
“So we're around him, on his side. He stopped his music for us, but that locker room, the visitors' locker room, is really tight, so when that music went on, all the other players were listening as well. . You can see Andrew Wiggins. There was [Kevon] Looney came right near and then GP2 came to the locker. It was like all eyes and ears were right there on Jordan. And this increased the tension further.
“So, what did Jordan say? Because we need to admit it hasn't been a great series for him, probably not even a great post season for him. Something's happened to his shot. It's not there. We know he has a good shot but why is he struggling now? Why is he a bit uncomfortable.
“Reviewing what he said. It was some very short answers. ‘My shot. I don't know. If I'd known, I'd have told you.' He didn't want to talk about himself. He kept saying we have a game in a few days. I asked him, I was like ‘Jordan, we know you have a good work ethic. When you think You're in a bit of a funk, when things don't feel like normal, what are you doing? Are you getting back in the gym?' He said, “Well, my work ethic doesn't change, my routine doesn't change. Maybe the opportunity changes but you can only control what you can control.”
“So the frustration with Jordan pool is becoming very clear. And then when we all stepped back, the music started up again and there was some strained laughter in the room as the reporters and Jordan digested everything that happened in the game.”
After scoring 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting in the Warriors' Game 1 loss to the Lakers, Poole has scored a total of 11 points over the last three games on 5-of-19 shooting from the field.
Connected: Steph confident Poole will break out of playoff slump
Despite Poole's struggles, Curry made it clear that the entire team deserves blame for the way they played against the Lakers.
Curry told reporters after the game, “We get a lot of questions about him and about our whole team, we're trying to figure out how to win a playoff game.” “We all have to make adjustments. Given we're in a 3-1 hole, we all have to play better. So there's no point in isolating him in this situation. It's all about togetherness, we What everyone can do to be better.”
“The conversations we have in the locker room, on the bench, in film sessions, are consistent throughout the season, especially in this playoff run trying to answer that question. So that's a part of it. We Everyone's a part of that. And if we're going to get out of this hole, we all have to play better.
Poole, Curry and the Warriors will look to extend their season on Wednesday when they host the Lakers in Game 5 at the Chase Center. Another performance like the one they put up on Monday and they will head into an uncertain off-season that could see key pieces from the offseason leave.