Jordan Poole ended the third quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals with an amazing half court buzzer-beater that was celebrated wildly at Chase Center Sunday.
Jordan Poole’s incredible half-court shot during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night made an impact in a myriad of ways.
It ended the crucial third quarter of a pivotal matchup with a dagger through the Boston Celtics’ hearts, symbolically crushing their hopes of taking a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven series.
The buzzer-beater sent an eager Chase Center crowd into a decibel-defying uproar and brought Poole’s confidence back in full force.
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But it also did something those watching the game couldn’t see on the court -- it gave him bragging rights over Steph Curry in a competition one could only assume the founding Splash Brother would dominate.
After the game, Curry divulged, and his anecdote seemed to explain the incredulous look on his face when his younger teammate hit the shot.
“ … We shoot half-court shots every practice, shoot-around,” Curry told reporters. “We have a little competition going.
“So we count -- if you make one during the game, we count it. So, he took the lead tonight.”
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Poole now has a leg up on the game’s greatest 3-point shooter when it comes to half-court triples, and the accomplishment came as he finished Sunday’s win with 17 points on 55 percent shooting from behind the arc in just over 22 minutes off the bench.
It was a resurgence the Warriors desperately needed after his Game 1 struggles carried over into the first half of Game 2. Before he announced Poole is now the team’s supreme half-court shot maker, Curry applauded Poole’s turnaround for providing Golden State with the momentum they needed to finish out the contest.
“Well, it’s kind of funny, we talk about how we finish quarters and how that momentum can carry over,” Curry said. “That was obviously a big shot to get the crowd into it. Put a dagger on that great third quarter that we had.
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“I think he was a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more under control tonight. Didn't go his way much early, but then he had that flurry. I think he had the two threes in the last two minutes of the third quarter. So, just continue to find rhythm. He's capable of that.”
Game 3 between the Warriors and Celtics on Wednesday at TD Garden is sure to be a challenge for Golden State as they leave their home-court advantage behind.
And just how Poole sent Chase Center into a frenzy on Sunday, the Warriors would certainly like to see him silence the crowd in Boston through similar means.