Jordan Poole was in good spirits while getting up post-practice jumpers with teammates shortly after Draymond Green landed a vicious punch to his left jaw. It's not exactly surprising, basically, that he played well in the Golden State Warriors's 124-121 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Given the ongoing fallout from his viral altercation with Green, though, it sure is encouraging that Poole truly showed out on Sunday night, exhibiting the ridiculous skill and creativity that makes him one of basketball's most dynamic playmakers.
Poole finished with a team-high 25 points in 23 minutes, also adding four rebounds, six assists and two steals. After taking a backseat to Steph Curry in the first half, the fourth-year guard exploded after halftime, dropping 18 points in the third quarter alone with a dazzling array of pull-up jumpers and start-stop layups.
If Poole's behind-the-back, same-foot floater occurred early next week in the regular season opener rather than exhibition action, it'd be played on Warriors highlight reels for years to come. This unbelievable display of ingenuity and footwork warrants as much attention as possible anyway.
Frankly, Kevin Durant's response does Poole's jaw-dropping move does it best justice regardless.
Poole, by the way, didn't just get his own during Golden State's impressive third quarter. He also found James Wiseman at the rim with a slick lefty wraparound pass, further evidence of their burgeoning comfort as pick-and-roll partners.
Don't be surprised if ball screens between them become a staple of Golden State's second-unit offense during the regular season.
Poole, remember, is also in the midst of extension talks with Golden State. He'll be a restricted free agent next summer if the sides don't reach an agreement between now and the October 17th rookie-scale contract extension deadline.
The Warriors as a whole are under loads of pressure in wake of Green's punch, but no one who played on Sunday felt more of it than Poole. Clearly, he won't be letting any off-court drama get in the way of his continued development as Golden State seeks back-to0-back titles.