Poole’s big night in loss to Warriors brings nostalgia to Dub Nation

Poole scored 38 night in his one trip back to Chase Center this season.

Everyone in Dub Nation tuning into the Golden State Warriors’ thrilling 122-114 victory over the Washington Wizards got the price of admission in full: the Dubs got the W, and former GSW darling Jordan Poole showed out in a Wizards’ jersey.

In 36 minutes Poole scored 38 points on 12-of-25 shooting from the field, and a brilliant 8-of-15 from beyond the arc. He also was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, while adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He also only had 2 turnovers, which is elite for how much he was involved with the ball.

Thats the kind of performance that the Warriors always believed he could provide, even when he was struggling in his early years and spent time in the G-League to find his game:

The Warriors can give Poole the opportunity to get regular minutes in the G League and maybe rebuild the confidence he insists he hasn’t lost despite statistics showing otherwise. A place where microscopes won’t follow is the smart move, and Santa Cruz is perfect for a talented scorer in search of his gift. The Warriors drafted Poole largely because of his ability to score. Playing in a democratic offensive system under John Beilein at Michigan, Poole didn’t put up massive numbers. But he knew how to get buckets.

Even though taking Poole in the first round was perceived by many around the league as a “reach,” the general belief was that his shooting was NBA-ready.

That has not been the case. The numbers don’t lie. The general belief now, at least among the Warriors, is that it’s past time to see if Poole can find his bearings in the G League and return to the NBA and actually be the shooter he’s expected to be.

Poole was the electric sixth man and sometimes spot starter when the Dubs won the title in 2022. The next season he got punched by Draymond Green in practice, paid with a handsome extension, and then traded for Chris Paul after faltering in the postseason.

He’s spent the last season-and-a-half toiling in obscurity with the moribund Washington Wizards, so games like last night against his former team must have felt like his personal Game 7.

I love the fact that Poole is showing out, it just sucks that he’s no longer doing it in a Warriors jersey. Nothing lasts forever, but it does feel like his departure was a bit too soon from a fan’s perspective. Sigh.