Donte DiVincenzo knew nights like this would come — but this time, The Poole Party took place in his own backyard.
The host? Jordan Poole, the former third Splash Brother to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson-turned Washington Wizards franchise cornerstone after the punch heard ‘round the world spiraled into a cross-country trade that sent the Golden State Warriors’ former streaky scorer to the nation’s capital.
DiVincenzo and Poole were teammates in San Francisco last season, and it was no surprise for the Knicks’ newcomer when Poole picked up right where he left off.
A 40-burger — 41 to be exact — including 29 first-half points to hand the Knicks a disappointing 131-106 loss in the preseason finale on Wednesday. The Knicks have finished the preseason 1-3. They will have the NBA’s toughest opening seven games to start the regular season.
“I was telling everybody — he did that with Steph and Klay on the court,” DiVincenzo said of Poole after the game. “He has the most confidence in himself, and the great thing about Jordan is he still carries himself as a young fella.
“He has a great chance over there to lead that team and I think he’s gonna take full advantage of it.”
This time around, it was Poole who threw the haymakers. After all, this is that Jordan Poole — the Jordan Poole Draymond Green sucker-punched in Warriors training camp at the beginning of last season.
Poole spent the entirety of an uncomfortable year playing alongside Green before the Warriors shuttled him to D.C. in a deal for Chris Paul.
My-oh-my how things can turn with a change of scenery and a blaring green light.
Poole’s light shined emerald with Kyle Kuzma sitting for the Wizards against the Knicks on Wednesday night. The Warriors’ castaway-turned-Wizards star is still instant offense, an early front-runner for Most Improved Player of the Year after pelting the Knicks from downtown.
None of his attempts from downtown were more alarming than the first — a walk-up three from 30 feet out over Jalen Brunson’s outstretched arm – and the last: Poole pump-faked to get R.J. Barrett off his feet, then took one dribble toward the paint as if he were driving to the rim, before uncorking an unorthodox escape side-step three – a sequence that left Barrett swerving like an Uber driver on the Jackie Robinson Parkway.
“I just think he didn’t feel any type of resistance from us on the defensive end as a team,” said Knicks star Julius Randle. “He’s obviously a player that can score the ball and score in bunches. And I just dont’ think as a team – it’s not just on our guards. We all got to help each other out. From the beginning he was in rhythm. We can’t let that happen. We have to recognize that sooner.”
There was even a possession where Poole made his best Steph Curry impression, unleashing his fifth three of the night from the left wing before turning his back to the basket and getting back on defense before the shot ripped through the net.
And he hit his final three of the night with three-and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter, when
Quentin Grimes crowded him at half court, only for Poole to drive into him and push off for a top-of-the-key three. On the very next possession, Poole blew by Jalen Brunson and got to the line. He converted on 15-of-16 attempts from the line, 11 of the 12 coming in the first half.
“I think for him I just don’t think he felt us enough. I take pride in that first and foremost,” said DiVincenzo. “I just know [from] playing with him last year, when he has a hot hand, the basket gets really big and it did early tonight. He was feeling himself.”
Maybe Poole is the new James Harden?
After all, Harden’s ascent to superstardom occurred after his trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets, where the organization built an entire identity around The Beard’s offensive prowess and crafty style of play.
Harden ironically did not win Most Improved Player of the Year despite a jump from 17 to 26 points and six assists as Rockets point guard the following season. Poole could very well be overlooked for the honor this season, as well: He has always had this kind of offensive ability — it was just dumbed down playing fourth fiddle to Curry, Green and Klay Thompson on the Warriors.
“He’s been an explosive scorer in the league, also having an awareness as to what’s going on in the game,” said head coach Tom Thibodeau. “Obviously he had a monster game.”
Poole’s 40-point night is going to become a regular occurrence on a team — aside from Kuzma — otherwise devoid of scoring.
What cannot become the norm at The Garden is the Knick bench getting outplayed by the opponent.
Wizards stretch four Mike Muscala came off the bench and gave the Knicks 20 points — all after Julius Randle dunked on him midway through the first quarter. Muscala made his first five threes of the night.
The Wizard bench scored 63 points to 48 for the Knicks reserves, minus Quickley — whose value increased in a loss he watched idly from the bench. Quickley will be a restricted free agent next summer, and the Knicks have an Oct. 23 deadline to sign him to a contract extension.
Randle finished with 20 points, Barrett with 19 and Jalen Brunson finished with just 12 points on 12 shot attempts. No Knicks players scored in double figures off the bench, Miles McBride struggled from downtown, and both McBride and Donte DiVincenzo posted the worst plus-minuses of the night: The Knicks were outscored by 23 in each of their minutes on the floor.
And now, it’s a wrap: The exhibition games are over and the games will begin to count. Beginning with a seven-game stretch against teams far more talented than the Wizards — who hosted a Poole Party at The Garden to end the preseason.
“First, you have to give them a lot of credit. They have a lot of hungry guys over there playing really well,” said Brunson. “I think we started the game okay, but the second and third quarter, it just wasn’t it for us.
“We just got to be better. We have to continue to be better every single day. We can’t just can’t jump back to where we were last year. We have to start over.”
