Oh how different things would be if Draymond Green simply kept his hands to himself in one fateful practice session back in 2022. Instead, Green decided to punch Jordan Poole, creating an awkward locker room setup which eventually led to Poole's departure from the Golden State Warriors in 2023. Poole's career seemed to be derailed by his unfortunate skirmish with Green, but now, he appears to be back in form for a Washington Wizards team that looks at him to take the responsibility of being a leader.
On Monday night, in a 125-112 win for the Warriors over the Wizards, Green had a firsthand look of just how far Poole has come as he looks to continue the strong start he's had to his second season in the nation's capital. Green observed that Poole is now more comfortable in his current role as the Wizards' alpha, as he's no longer forcing the issue the way he did last season.
“He’s playing a lot better. His shot selection… you come to a new situation, as a competitor you want to show everything. I think last year he was pressing. He wanted it so bad. He’s settling in. Last year were bad shots but he wanted it so bad,” Green said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
Indeed, Poole did not settle in well during his first season with the Wizards. Washington mostly played him off the ball in a backcourt alongside Tyus Jones, and it led to him forcing the issue on most occasions. Last season, Poole posted the worst true shooting percentage of his career in a single season (with the exception of his rookie season), but now, he has been finding a rhythm — on both ends of the court, no less — much more easily.
The breakup between Poole and the Warriors was necessary, and both parties appear to be in a much better state. Alas, there is no love lost between Poole and Green, which is understandable from the former's point of view.
Warriors welcome Stephen Curry back, win fourth straight
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The Warriors have returned to their Strength In Numbers mantra, and it has been paying off for them in a big way to start the new campaign. With the addition of Buddy Hield, the Dubs have been one of the league's deadliest teams from beyond the arc, even if Stephen Curry has missed three of their past four games.
Curry, however, brings some much-needed stability that allows for the Warriors to combat the inherent variance that comes with being a jump-shooting team. The veteran star showed little rust in his return, scoring 24 points on 7-15 shooting from the field, and the Dubs look like a vastly improved team compared to last season.
Even Draymond Green is getting in on the three-point act. Green put up 18 points in the Warriors' win over the Wizards, and he did so on just seven shot attempts. He made three threes as well, and in the end, he had the last laugh over Poole after he got taunted following a three-point make from his old foil.
