The Washington Wizards recently played against the Boston Celtics, the 2023-24 NBA Champions. During the game, basketball fans witnessed an intense moment involving Wizards star Jordan Poole and Celtics player Payton Pritchard.
D
In the third quarter of the game, Jordan Poole executed a move that caused Payton Pritchard to fall to the floor. Instead of taking a wide-open three-pointer, Poole decided to taunt Pritchard, which allowed Sam Hauser to come over in defense. As a result, Poole opted to pass the ball to his teammate, who ultimately missed the shot. This incident frustrated Stephen A. Smith, who expressed his disappointment during a recent episode of “First Take.”
“Gone from a champion [in the Warriors] to a [Wizards] team that since he has arrived is 18-88. 70 games under .500 but you showboated. That’s why his a*s is in the nation’s capital.” Smith said.
"Gone from a champion [in the Warriors] to a [Wizards] team that since he has arrived is 18-88. 70 games under .500 but you showboated. That's why his a*s is in the nation's capital."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 17, 2024
Stephen A. Smith on Jordan Poole's taunt to Payton Pritchard.pic.twitter.com/KrVOuhvhG2
The Wizards lost to the Celtics with a final score of 98-112. Poole scored 21 points, made 7 assists, and grabbed 3 rebounds in 36 minutes.
Former NBA Star Critiques Jordan Poole’s Blunder
The Wizards have had the worst start to the 2024-25 NBA season, currently holding the last spot in the Eastern Conference standings with 3 wins and 21 losses. Poole’s recent mistake will only add to the team’s challenges in light of this situation. After reviewing the incident, former NBA star Austin Rivers provided his reaction.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
“Silly sh*t. Silly sh*t. Silliness, bro…I saw the clip. The whole comment section is like, ‘This is why you’re not in Golden State anymore.’ This is why your career went from like this [gestures upward trajectory] to now you’re in DC doing something nobody even cares about.” Rivers said in a recent appearance on Ringer NBA.
Jordan Poole has played 22 games this season. The Wizards star is currently averaging 22 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in the NBA’s 2024-25 season.
