Warriors Triumph Over Wizards, Poole’s Heroics in Vain Despite Warm Welcome
Jordan Poole’s impressive 25-point performance marked his return to San Francisco, but it wasn’t enough as Stephen Curry’s 30 points and rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis’ consecutive double-double propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 129-118 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.
This game was their first encounter since Poole, a key contributor to the Warriors’ 2022 championship, was traded to the Wizards in July. The deal, which saw Chris Paul joining the Warriors, followed an incident where Poole was hit by teammate Draymond Green.
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Despite struggling with his shooting accuracy, hitting just 7 of 21 shots and 3 of 12 three-point attempts, Poole utilized free throws to notch his sixth 25-point game of the season.
Chris Paul, in contrast, contributed modestly with four points but led the game with ten assists, adding seven rebounds. The Wizards, weary from a four-game Western tour and playing back-to-back nights, couldn’t keep pace with the Warriors.
Poole’s three-pointer just before the half-time buzzer kept the Wizards close at 63-61. They had narrowly won against Portland 118-117 the previous night.
However, Curry’s sharpshooting, including four three-pointers in the third quarter, shifted the game in the Warriors’ favor, leading them to an 88-77 advantage and their fourth consecutive victory.
Curry, who played 27 minutes, was particularly lethal from beyond the arc, going 8-for-13, contributing to his 9-for-18 overall shooting performance. The Warriors, gearing up for a back-to-back home game against Portland, benefited from balanced scoring.
Jonathan Kuminga’s efficient 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting and Klay Thompson’s four three-pointers for 20 points were significant. Jackson-Davis dominated the boards with a season-high 15 rebounds, alongside 10 points.
Dario Saric and Brandin Podziemski also reached double digits for the Warriors, who experienced their first game with a margin greater than eight points since their loss to Oklahoma City Thunder in November.
For the Wizards, Corey Kispert (18 points), Daniel Gafford (15 points), and Tyus Jones (14 points and six assists) led the scoring. Kyle Kuzma, though limited to seven points, was the team’s top rebounder with nine. The Wizards concluded their trip with a 1-3 record.
