Thunder 136, Wizards 128
Q. Jordan, they had a pretty big advantage of points in the paint. What do you attribute that to?
JORDAN POOLE: They're a really good offensive team, a lot of firepower, a lot of ball handlers were able to get in the paint, space the floor out a little bit. Really good team. Really good offense. We've just got to do a better job of trying to stop dribble penetration.
Q. What do you think allowed them to kind of keep you guys at arm's length? The lead was never all that large, but they were able to kind much make sure you guys didn't close the gap.
JORDAN POOLE: They're a good team. We had a couple opportunities that we missed to close it, put it to 5 or put it to 2. Just learn from it, get better.
Q. When you guys have a shooting night like you did tonight, what's going well, and for you in the third quarter, what were you able to take advantage of?
JORDAN POOLE: As a team, I think we were just knocking down shots. We were able to get a couple good looks.
As for the third quarter, I just felt more involved. I was able to be on ball a little bit more, bring it up, kind of initiate some offense to get the defense off of me, whether it's trying to send me downhill on pin aways or doubling me on ball screens. Just kind of opened up the floor a little bit for my teammates, but then through that kind of being able to be aggressive. I think that's what happened in the third.
Q. You mentioned your aggression. What did you see from the team's disposition in general? It seemed like you guys played with a little bit more oomph tonight. I don't know if you'd describe it that way.
JORDAN POOLE: I'm not sure. I've got to go back and watch the film. We got some good looks. We were aggressive. We were good out in transition. We had a couple looks that we wish we could have made, a couple stops that we wish we could have had back. But we were all right tonight. Really good team over there, though.
Q. I think this was the first time you've gone up against Chet Holmgren. What are your impressions of him?
JORDAN POOLE: Yeah. Really dynamic player. Hell of a game tonight. 11 for 14 from the field. He's able to space the floor. He was making the right reads, whether it was in the post, getting it out. But just being able to shoot the ball, put the ball on the floor like he is, size matchup. He played really well. He's a good player.
Definitely look forward to watching him continue to grow.
Q. A lot of people come at you over the course of the season. How do you block out the outside noise and focus on trying to find yourself in D.C.?
JORDAN POOLE: I mean, a lot of the noise is on social media, honestly, and I'm not on it, so I don't hear it. Come into work every day, get better. Like you said, though, it's just outside noise.
Good or bad, people are going to have something to say, so you just kind of stick to what your routine is, stick to your plan. I'm not really worried about any of the extra.
Q. You had a moment with a young fan who took his shirt off, wrote your name all over it. I know you acknowledged him during the game and you went over there. What was that moment like? What did that mean to you?
JORDAN POOLE: That was power. I saw it in I think the early fourth, late third. Yeah, he had my name written on his chest and he didn't have a shirt on. I was like, that's a first for me. We've got to make sure we get him a jersey, though. We've got to make sure we get him a proper jersey. That's amazing, especially like as a kid, the little kid in me, that's so dope to see, just to have that impact. Got to go over there and acknowledge him. Stuff like that makes my day. If I can go make someone else's day, really, really special.
Q. What can you take from the third quarter tonight going into Indiana on Wednesday?
JORDAN POOLE: As a team or personally?
Q. Personally.
JORDAN POOLE: Just try to find ways to be on the ball more. I feel like that's when I'm at my best, being able to create, being able to be aggressive in transition. I got a couple more transition opportunities today. We haven't got too many of those all year. So just trying to find ways to be on ball, honestly.
Teams do a really good job off ball sending me downhill. Like I was mentioning earlier, really pulling over into help, really pulling over in the gap to draw two into the paint and kick it. So if I can find a way to get out early, start the break, get something going for my teammates, I feel like it'll open up the floor not only for me but for everybody else. Just trying to navigate that, figure that out, asking the coaches to see what positions they can put me in to be better. Work in progress.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports