Malik Monk has been seen challenging Jordan Poole to “guard me” just prior to Game 5 of the Sacramento Kings’ first round NBA playoffs series against the Golden State Warriors, in which the Warriors have won the last two games.
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Monk was filmed baiting Poole during his pre-game warm-up, consistently repeating the same mantra as he put up shots. Poole engaged in the exchange, too, but whatever he said appeared to bear no response from Monk other than to tell Poole to “guard me.”
“That’s why you scared to guard me.”
– Malik Monk to Jordan Poole before Game 5 of Warriors-Kings 😳🗣️
(via @markhaynesnba)pic.twitter.com/PZkiAgTNCa
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 27, 2023
Monk is, of course, pretty damn difficult to guard when he’s at his best, as he showed in Game 1 of this series in which he scored 32 points off the bench in 29 minutes on 8-13 shooting. However, as it often is, that game was followed up in Game 3 by one in which the 25-year-old couldn’t make a shot to save himself, going 1-9 from the floor en route to 4 points.
Poole, meanwhile, has been reasonable without being unspectacular so far this series, and has struggled particularly from the three-point line, shooting just under 24% from long range over the four games. His defense, however, leaves plenty to be desired, and perhaps Monk was alluding to as much in his pre-game baiting of the Warriors’ guard.
The Kings and the Warriors are engaged in an enthralling playoff series which is locked at two games apiece heading into Wednesday night’s game. Both Malik Monk and Jordan Poole are a little down the pecking order on their respective teams, but each of them has explosive scoring ability. If one of them is able to get off the leash in Game 5, it could go a long way to giving their team a pivotal 3-2 series lead.
