Kyle Kuzma on Jordan Poole's struggles: 'It's tough when you're coming from being a third or fourth option'
After arriving in Washington in an offseason trade, Jordan Poole now has runway towards becoming a larger piece for the Wizards than with the Warriors. Some growing pains were perhaps to be expected. Kyle Kuzma, for one, isn’t surprised after going through a similar process when he left the Lakers for the Wizards in 2021. “It’s tough when you’re coming from being a third or fourth option. I can speak on this because I’ve done it,” Kuzma said. “You’re coming into a new situation and where you’re more of a focal point, it’s tough sometimes. That’s a lot of responsibility. You have to be able to obviously produce at a high level, but get your teammates involved, too.”
Source: monumentalsportsnetwork.com
Source: monumentalsportsnetwork.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
Jordan Poole is adjusting to being at the top of the scouting report every night for the first time in his career. He’s taking the challenge head-on.
“It’s honestly really cool. It just makes you learn as a player.” bit.ly/47rv42l – 9:45 AM
Jordan Poole is adjusting to being at the top of the scouting report every night for the first time in his career. He’s taking the challenge head-on.
“It’s honestly really cool. It just makes you learn as a player.” bit.ly/47rv42l – 9:45 AM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Wes Unseld Jr. said Jordan Poole tweaked his left ankle during warm-ups. Poole missed his first game of the season. – 9:39 PM
Wes Unseld Jr. said Jordan Poole tweaked his left ankle during warm-ups. Poole missed his first game of the season. – 9:39 PM
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
After the Wizards’ 136-108 loss to the Hawks, Wes Unseld Jr. said Poole tweaked his ankle warming up pregame. – 9:37 PM
After the Wizards’ 136-108 loss to the Hawks, Wes Unseld Jr. said Poole tweaked his ankle warming up pregame. – 9:37 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Final: Hawks 136, Wizards 108
Kuzma: 12 pts., 7 rebs., 8 assts.
Avdija: 9 pts., 6 rebs., 2 assts.
Poole: DNP (left ankle soreness)
Young: 26 pts., 6 rebs., 10 assts.
Turnovers: Hawks 10, Wizards 20
Points off turnovers: Hawks 27, Wizards 12
Records: Hawks 8-7, Wizards 2-14 – 9:13 PM
Final: Hawks 136, Wizards 108
Kuzma: 12 pts., 7 rebs., 8 assts.
Avdija: 9 pts., 6 rebs., 2 assts.
Poole: DNP (left ankle soreness)
Young: 26 pts., 6 rebs., 10 assts.
Turnovers: Hawks 10, Wizards 20
Points off turnovers: Hawks 27, Wizards 12
Records: Hawks 8-7, Wizards 2-14 – 9:13 PM
Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Hawks up 29 after 3 in Washington..won’t have to tax themselves too much ahead of the back-to-back in Boston tomorrow.
Jalen Johnson (wrist) did not return after getting fouled by Kyle Kuzma in the 2nd quarter. Might not see him tomorrow.
Hawks top 8 have been healthy all year. – 8:47 PM
Hawks up 29 after 3 in Washington..won’t have to tax themselves too much ahead of the back-to-back in Boston tomorrow.
Jalen Johnson (wrist) did not return after getting fouled by Kyle Kuzma in the 2nd quarter. Might not see him tomorrow.
Hawks top 8 have been healthy all year. – 8:47 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Halftime: Hawks 70, Wizards 58
Gafford: 12 pts., 2 rebs.
Kuzma: 10 pts., 6 rebs., 6 assts.
Young: 9 pts., 5 rebs., 7 assts.
Points off turnovers: Hawks 21, Wizards 6 – 8:03 PM
Halftime: Hawks 70, Wizards 58
Gafford: 12 pts., 2 rebs.
Kuzma: 10 pts., 6 rebs., 6 assts.
Young: 9 pts., 5 rebs., 7 assts.
Points off turnovers: Hawks 21, Wizards 6 – 8:03 PM
Lauren L. Williams @WilliamsLaurenL
Saddiq Bey picks off Kyle Kuzma and Kispert and Kuzma went t go defend in transition before stopping. Wizards call timeout with 7:52 left in the 2Q. – 7:47 PM
Saddiq Bey picks off Kyle Kuzma and Kispert and Kuzma went t go defend in transition before stopping. Wizards call timeout with 7:52 left in the 2Q. – 7:47 PM
Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
Jalen Johnson, an emerging young player for the Hawks, exits after injuring his left wrist on a fall into the bottom of the basket. Kyle Kuzma committed the foul and seemed concerned right away it was bad. – 7:45 PM
Jalen Johnson, an emerging young player for the Hawks, exits after injuring his left wrist on a fall into the bottom of the basket. Kyle Kuzma committed the foul and seemed concerned right away it was bad. – 7:45 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is going to the locker room after he was fouled by Kyle Kuzma on a dunk attempt and crashed to the court. – 7:44 PM
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is going to the locker room after he was fouled by Kyle Kuzma on a dunk attempt and crashed to the court. – 7:44 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks lead the Wizards 34-30. Kyle Kuzma, Corey Kispert, Landry Shamet and Bilal Coulibaly have five points apiece for Washington. – 7:36 PM
At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks lead the Wizards 34-30. Kyle Kuzma, Corey Kispert, Landry Shamet and Bilal Coulibaly have five points apiece for Washington. – 7:36 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
the wizards are struggling without their heart and soul, jordan anthony poole – 7:20 PM
the wizards are struggling without their heart and soul, jordan anthony poole – 7:20 PM
Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
Jordan Poole is OUT for tonight’s Wizards-Hawks game due to a left ankle injury, per the team. Corey Kispert will start in his place:
Tyus Jones, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford – 7:10 PM
Jordan Poole is OUT for tonight’s Wizards-Hawks game due to a left ankle injury, per the team. Corey Kispert will start in his place:
Tyus Jones, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford – 7:10 PM
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
After being listed as questionable with a non-covid illness, Deni Avdija will start tonight vs. the Hawks.
Wiz starters:
Jones
Poole
Avdija
Kuzma
Gafford – 6:45 PM
After being listed as questionable with a non-covid illness, Deni Avdija will start tonight vs. the Hawks.
Wiz starters:
Jones
Poole
Avdija
Kuzma
Gafford – 6:45 PM
Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
NBA’s Last Two Minute Report says there were two mistakes in Wizards-Bucks
– Brook Lopez hooked Kyle Kuzma on the entry pass, offensive foul
– Kyle Kuzma should have been called for a block on Damian Lillard’s drive, but would have been moot pic.twitter.com/Z9aIRMNRzY – 3:55 PM
NBA’s Last Two Minute Report says there were two mistakes in Wizards-Bucks
– Brook Lopez hooked Kyle Kuzma on the entry pass, offensive foul
– Kyle Kuzma should have been called for a block on Damian Lillard’s drive, but would have been moot pic.twitter.com/Z9aIRMNRzY – 3:55 PM
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
Final: Bucks 131, Wizards 128
Poole: 26p, 7a
Jones: 22p, 7a, 7r
Kuzma: 22p
Kispert: 20p
B. Lopez: 39p
Antetokounmpo: 31p
Lillard: 31p – 10:54 PM
Final: Bucks 131, Wizards 128
Poole: 26p, 7a
Jones: 22p, 7a, 7r
Kuzma: 22p
Kispert: 20p
B. Lopez: 39p
Antetokounmpo: 31p
Lillard: 31p – 10:54 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Is Kyle Kuzma actively tanking at the end of these games? After his 40-foot pullup in CHA Wed, goes for a quick 2 with no timeouts down 3 with 4.1 left, then ignores a wide open Poole on the Bryce Drew play to turn into a double team and fire the tying 3 from halfcourt. – 10:33 PM
Is Kyle Kuzma actively tanking at the end of these games? After his 40-foot pullup in CHA Wed, goes for a quick 2 with no timeouts down 3 with 4.1 left, then ignores a wide open Poole on the Bryce Drew play to turn into a double team and fire the tying 3 from halfcourt. – 10:33 PM
Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
2nd time in a week a Bucks player has pushed Jordan Poole to earn a technical. This time it’s Marjon Beauchamp. pic.twitter.com/kplCmEWZeZ – 8:42 PM
2nd time in a week a Bucks player has pushed Jordan Poole to earn a technical. This time it’s Marjon Beauchamp. pic.twitter.com/kplCmEWZeZ – 8:42 PM
Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
Wizards were up 81-62 with 4 minutes left in Q3, Hornets would finish the final 16 minutes on a 55-33 run (39-23 in Q4)
Two plays stand out most
– Tyus Jones and Bilal Coulibaly missed 2-on-1 lob leads to LaMelo Ball floater
– Jordan Poole turnover leads to Miles Bridges and-1 pic.twitter.com/zBDc9v80Ij – 10:59 AM
Wizards were up 81-62 with 4 minutes left in Q3, Hornets would finish the final 16 minutes on a 55-33 run (39-23 in Q4)
Two plays stand out most
– Tyus Jones and Bilal Coulibaly missed 2-on-1 lob leads to LaMelo Ball floater
– Jordan Poole turnover leads to Miles Bridges and-1 pic.twitter.com/zBDc9v80Ij – 10:59 AM
More on this storyline
Yet, in the chaos of the final seconds, Giannis Antetokounmpo knocked down a pair of free throws and Lillard made a pair of his own but the Bucks needed Kyle Kuzma’s 37-foot heave at the buzzer to clang off the back iron to secure the victory. “We just gotta do a better job closing out the game,” Connaughton said. “Obviously I gotta make my free throws. We had a few open shots we didn’t knock down. You’re going to make or miss threes; you gotta take ‘em with confidence. -via Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel / November 25, 2023
Neil Dalal: Kyle Kuzma on his rookie season vet Brook Lopez “Someone that really showed me about work ethic. … Really showed me about how it is to be professional in this league. And then also, he’s such a sweet guy.” pic.twitter.com/MV0N6oXkyi -via Twitter @NeilDalal96 / November 22, 2023
Kyle Kuzma on Jordan Poole “Everybody is behind him and knows he’ll get out of it. He’s a worker, he loves basketball, very passionate. … I think sometimes he just overthinks himself a little bit. … Today was a great step in the right direction for him.” -via Twitter / November 21, 2023
Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. explained the difficulty of executing those plays with Poole when other teams are blitzing him on the exchange. “Teams are of course going to try to heat him up, which we’ve seen at times this year. They’re going to try to get the ball out of his hands. Off the ball, oftentimes he has to work even harder to get it,” Unseld Jr. said. “Moving him off screens, trying to create something easier for him is not always that simple. But this is new for him and it’s something he’s going to have to get more accustomed to, creating separation and getting out in space and playing more downhill than up the floor.” -via monumentalsportsnetwork.com / November 26, 2023
Ava Wallace: Jordan Poole is a late scratch for tonight, he’s out with left ankle soreness, per the Wizards. -via Twitter @avarwallace / November 25, 2023
Legion Hoops: Kevin Garnett says Jordan Poole doesn’t belong in the league (via @shobasketball , https://youtu.be/IXxjOiAgQuA?si=EiorDrr3NqUL3aNI…) -via Twitter / November 23, 2023