Warriors Turn Back the Clock In NBA Playoffs

Led by Stephen Curry and the emerging Jordan Poole, Golden State put on a throwback performance in its Game 3 victory vs. the Nuggets.

DENVER —You can forgive Steve Kerr if he’s feeling a bit of déjà vu these days.

The Warriors secured a 3–0 lead in its Round 1 matchup against the Nuggets on Thursday night, potentially sealing the series with a 118–113 victory. The win featured all the hallmarks of the last decade of Golden State basketball, including six Klay Thompson threes, a brilliant performance from Draymond Green and even a tomahawk dunk from Andre Iguodala. The more things change in the Bay, the more they seem to stay the same.

“These guys have been around the block a few times,” Kerr said postgame. “They’re not fazed by this stuff.”

We should take a minute to appreciate what we’re seeing as the Warriors return to championship contender status. Kevin Durant now plays on a different coast. Thompson didn’t play a single NBA minute from June 2019 to Jan. 2022. Steph Curry missed 104 games over the last three years and, entering the 2021–22 season, few considered Golden State anything but an also-ran in a stacked Western Conference. That’s not exactly the case as the Warriors eye a sweep on Sunday afternoon.

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There is one major difference for Golden State as the franchise chases another championship. The Splash Brothers have become the Splash Triplets over the last week, with Golden State now sporting a trio of guards that can light up the scoreboard on a given night. Curry and Thompson combined for 53 points on 19-of-37 from the field, with Curry’s shimmy-and-score with 40 seconds remaining putting an exclamation point on an impressive effort. Yet neither future Hall-of-Famer was the best Warriors guard for the third game in a row.

This may very well be remembered as The Jordan Poole Series in future years. The Michigan product and late first-round pick in the 2019 draft emerged as a major weapon for Golden State this season. Through three playoff games, he’s turned in perhaps one of the most notable breakouts in recent memory. Consider this: Poole’s 86 points through his first three playoff games trails only Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson this postseason. His 13 threes are topped by only Maxi Kleber. Poole is shooting 66.6% from the field against Denver, turning in the postseason’s most efficient scoring barrage. A challenging Golden State attack is downright terrifying when Poole is lighting up the scoreboard.

“He looks like a seasoned vet,” Thompson said. “The shots he’s taking and making, he’s really been a catalyst for us on offense.”

Poole’s postseason emergence is a satisfying subplot as Golden State cruises through the first round. Yet the Warriors’ engine hasn’t been Poole, nor either of the OG Splash Brothers.

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Draymond Green continues to power Golden State on both ends, controlling the contest for significant stretches in each of the first three games. Green tallied 15 assists and one turnover through the Warriors’ first two games. He’s now a plus-45 in 94 playoff minutes after Thursday’s win. Green finished Game 3 with just six points on 2-for-6 shooting. You could argue he was the best player on the floor for significant stretches.

“He’s a distributor, a passer, a point center,” Kerr said. “He’s an incredibly unique player.”

Green came out with a fury in the first quarter in front of a raucous Denver crowd. He tallied five points, four assists and three denials at the rim in the game’s first 10 minutes, and he completed his 17th career playoff game with at least 10 assists—sixth most among active players—by the final buzzer. Green remains a lethal trap-breaker in 4-on-3 situations. He orchestrates Golden State’s offense with aplomb, directing traffic as he fires lasers to Curry for triples and drops dimes to a cutting Thompson for easy layups. And while Green’s ability to thrive as a point-center is relatively unprecedented, his offensive impact pales in comparison to his defensive brilliance. His skill on that end was on full display in the final minute.

Denver had one final opportunity on Thursday trailing 116–111 with 34.7 seconds remaining. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokić secured positioning deep into the lane before receiving the ball, with an easy score arriving shortly thereafter against nearly any other defender. Not Green. Golden State’s do-it-all maestro timed Jokic’s dribbles and swiped at the third bounce, poking the ball away to generate Denver’s 18th turnover of the night. The play was an impressive physical maneuver in its own right. But hear Green explain the play, and you realize you’re in the midst of a basketball genius.

“On the first dribble, when he hit me, I felt like I had inside position,” Green said. “Then he took the second one, and it was far away from his body. So I’m already thinking right there, ‘If he takes another dribble, I’m stabbing at it.’ … I saw the dribble high and away from his body, and I went for it.”

Best defender in the world. pic.twitter.com/rtjeQ2ocQ2

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 22, 2022

There’s a significant chance this postseason doesn’t end with celebratory confetti and a fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy for the Warriors. Golden State’s crop of wings can get exposed by the wrong opponent, and there’s always the (slim) chance of a cold spell from Curry and Thompson. The Warriors are no longer light years ahead of the league compared to the heights of the previous decade. Yet if there’s any apprehension regarding a potential title run, you won’t find it in Golden State’s locker room after a dominant three-game stretch.

The Warriors have been here before. They’re ready to climb the mountaintop once again.

“This is what it’s all about, man,” Green said. “You go into an opposing team’s building and you can shut that crowd up. It doesn’t get much better than that.”