DALLAS -- The Warriors need Jordan Poole to find himself. How that happens is up to coach Steve Kerr and the third-year guard.
Poole opened the season holding down the starting shooting guard spot until Klay Thompson returned. Poole was electric as the starting two-guard and was a big reason why the Warriors opened the season 19-4. But Poole's role has fluctuated since Thompson's return, and his play has dipped precipitously over the past month. In February, Poole shot 41.1 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from deep.
With Draymond Green out for nearly two months and Thompson being in and out of the lineup, the Warriors need Poole's offensive ability to help them steady the ship amid their current slump. Poole is working to find what he has lost as his role has changed over the past two months.
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SIGN UP HERE "You just got to find a way to play through it," Poole told reporters after Warriors practice Wednesday in Dallas, via The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
While Poole tries to grind through his slump, it's clear that for whatever reason, whether Poole starts or comes off the bench has impacted his play.
As a starter this season, Poole is averaging 18.3 points per game while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 34.9 from 3-point range. As a reserve, Poole is only scoring 12.2 points per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 29.3 from distance.
The Michigan product, however, isn't focused on labels.
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"As long as I'm out there playing, it feels good," Poole said when asked about the difference between being a starter and coming off the bench.
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Everyone around the Warriors knows how important Poole is to their championship dreams. In order to run through a tough Western Conference and return to the NBA Finals, the Warriors need Poole to thrive in his Sixth Man role.
Kerr is confident his young guard will settle in and get back to being the instant offensive weapon he was during the first two months of the season.
"He has had a great year," Kerr said Tuesday before the Warriors' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. "The other night to me is nothing. He had a tough night. I could have done a better job trying to help him find a rhythm. Didn’t play him enough in the first half, probably. These games, they all matter, but there is 82 of them. So I never worry too much about one game with any of them. I look at the big picture, and the big picture is that Jordan has had a fantastic year, and we have great faith in him.
“He’s had a great year, and he’s been a big reason for our success," Kerr continued. "He’s only in his third year. He’s still got a lot of growth ahead of him, which is exciting. He just needs to keep working. He’s one of our hardest workers, and he’s got a great approach, and he’s got a really bright future, so it’s exciting.”
Poole had another tough night Tuesday against the Timberwolves. He scored 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting, but most of those points came with the game well out of reach. In the first half, Poole was disconnected on defense and let loose two airballs.
He's pressing. All of the Warriors seem to be. They have lost six of eight and are 14-12 in their last 26 games.
With 20 games remaining in the regular season, the Warriors are searching for answers, and finding a way to get Poole back on track is one of the biggest issues they have to solve in the final quarter of the season.