Cavaliers - 134, Wizards - 124
Q. Jordan, can you just take us through your night and the career high 45 points? What were you seeing?
JORDAN POOLE: Team effort, first of all. Shout out to our guys just for competing. That's a really good team. They're playing really good basketball, and they have been all season. Shout out to Kenny and a lot of the guys.
I mean, we just stepped up. We played hard. The ball was moving around. I think the last couple games we've been playing a different style of basketball. Just a team effort, just playing within the flow of the game.
Being aggressive. Obviously we were shorthanded waiting for a couple guys to get back and go for their physicals and whatnot. Just trying to be aggressive for my team, keep us in the game, and give us a shot to win.
Q. Would you say there was a different style of basketball the last couple games? What does that mean?
JORDAN POOLE: I don't know. We've just been playing with the right momentum, the right energy, a really good road stand we just came off of. Obviously we played one of the best teams, if not the best team in the league right now. We gave them a run for their money.
Ball's moving, hitting a lot of pockets, a lot of swing swings. Shout out to our shooters just for being ready. Everybody stepped up. Everybody had a big game.
Just a lot of flow, a lot of movement, a lot of easy shots for us early. Obviously we want to be better on the defensive end and continue to get better. I think for a really long stretch in that game we just played it the right way, and it gave us a shot until the end.
Q. The trade deadline has come and gone. What was your reaction to the team's moves?
JORDAN POOLE: First and foremost, the guys that are moved to new teams, best of luck to them and their new situations. You always want to see guys that you spend so much time with thrive and get an opportunity to really show their skills, their talents, and help the team out.
We were lucky enough to get a lot of new guys over here as well. We got K-Mid, NBA champion, Milwaukee Bucks legend. We got Marcus Smart. We got Colby, got a lot of guys, AJ. We got a lot of guys who played at the highest level who come with talent.
We're just excited just to add them to our young corps, continue to build something over here. I think it will really help us. Good additions.
And something I tell the young guys, the trade deadline is uncomfortable for everybody. I just think that this year was a pretty active trade deadline just across the league. It's not normally this active.
Always got to be prepared. Always got to be ready for whatever the next move is because it's a business. We've got half the season left, and excited to see what we can do with this new group.
Q. Big trades don't happen that often?
JORDAN POOLE: Not even on 2K.
Q. It has been a pretty moving stretch for the team, four game road trip, come back back-to-back, another six days on a trip, another back-to-back. How is the team feeling? How is it managing that stretch, especially including the trade deadline as part of it?
JORDAN POOLE: It's the league, and it's one of the hardest leagues to play in. Stuff like that, you've got to take into account. Travel, being gone on the road for 15 out of 18 days or something like that.
But this is what we do, this is what we get paid to do, to play at the highest level. You've got to take care of your body. You've got to recover, stick to your routine, stay hydrated, get treatment because in this league there's no feeling sorry for you. We've got another one tomorrow.
I'm telling these guys all the time, like just be happy we're playing games right now. There will come a stretch when summer comes and we're working out and you've got training camp for a month, month and a half, and then it's just strictly practice and it's heavy practice. So just embrace the fact that we're playing games right now. We get the chance to go out there and compete for 48 minutes night in and night out. It's just a different perspective to have.
Q. How are you seeing the young guys going through their first experience of this?
JORDAN POOLE: What in general?
Q. Dealing with the strain of the season.
JORDAN POOLE: I think they're doing a good job. They ask the right questions. They're taking care of their body. They're getting treatment. We have a really good group. They listen. They're willing to take in any information that will help them become a better basketball player and better professional.
They've just got the right attitude. Nothing but positive things to say for our guys, and they're continuing to get better. It's really cool to see it and be a part of it.
Q. Addison Lee gets an opportunity with the Dallas Wings.
JORDAN POOLE: Addy!
Q. Someone you worked with a lot. What do you think he's going to bring to that role?
JORDAN POOLE: Shout out to the Dallas Wings. Arike Ogunbowale is a very, very close friend over there too, so I've always be a fan.
They're getting a hard worker. Me and Addy watched film every single day. Any time I want to get in the gym, Addy's there. I'm extremely excited, happy for him to get a bigger role, a role to impact a team to use his knowledge and his work ethic to just elevate a team.
He's extremely smart, and he really knows the game of basketball. Opportunities like this don't come around often. After coming from the league and being able to learn the things that he has and being able to have a voice to implement that to the Dallas Wings and their coaching staff, super cool. Super cool. I'm excited for him. I'm happy for him.
I'll probably send him a couple good morning texts when I can.
Q. What are your first impressions of AJ Jones?
JORDAN POOLE: I've been watching AJ for the last couple years. We work out at the same place sometimes in the summer. Hard worker, extremely skilled, has a lot of potential too. Just being so young and having the opportunity to come over here and play and get minutes.
I think it will be really good for him. I think it will be really good for him with this team. I think we all know how talented he is, extremely athletic. I think we saw that tonight right away.
He comes in, and he fits in with the young vibe we've got. The energy, the swag all kind of fits right in. Excited to have him over here.
Q. Of all the tough defenders, perimeter defenders you've faced in your time in the league, what do you think of Marcus Smart as a defender?
JORDAN POOLE: We were just having that conversation in the locker room. I mean, he has the utmost respect being the Defensive Player of the Year. I've had my fair share of Marcus guarding me on the other side, and it's pretty cool to have him on our team.
I want to pick his brain a little bit, ask him questions, see how he guards, see the way he sees the game. I also think it's good for our group too because it gets to help Bilal, it gets to help Kyshawn, it gets to help Bub, being able to learn from a Defensive Player of the Year who's played in The Finals, who's played high level basketball, who's a real vet in this league.
Great move. Great move. Really excited. Really excited just for that. Honestly, I just can't wait to get out there and play on the court with him. His energy, his toughness, and his winning mentality, I think that's something we can all vibe off of and learn from for sure.
Q. (Question regarding 3-Point Contest). I know a lot of fans are anxious to see you in the Bay Area. I was wondering what do you think about that as motivation? Or is that something you've never thought about?
JORDAN POOLE: I'm always motivated, first and foremost. They ain't with the views. They knew if they wanted some extra views, they could have threw me in there. It's cool. There will be another opportunity next year and then all the years after that as well.
Q. Some of the things you said about Marcus Smart defensively sounds similar to things that were said about Bub earlier in his career. Do you see similarities between them with their skill sets?
JORDAN POOLE: Sure. Just the energy that they have, like the toughness -- those are guys that are just gamers. They want to make an impact on the game. They want to make plays on defense. They want to make plays on offense. They want to dive on the floor. They give teams energy. They give the crowd energy. They make impactful plays that can change the momentum of the game. They're playmakers.
You can never have too many guys like that on your team. For Bub in particular, I think it's a really good example and would be a good role model especially on the court just to kind of learn from him, watch how he's been such a threat in this league for such a long time.
Like I said, I just think it's a really good move just in terms of the future, and what we can learn from now and the brains that we can pick, it's pretty cool.
Q. I just want to know what was talked about the trade of Luka?
JORDAN POOLE: We talked about it a lot. I don't think anybody was expecting a trade, but at a certain point, you've got to maximize the career and longevity of some of the greatest players to play the game. I think that's what L.A. did, being able just to pair Luka with LeBron, at least for the next couple years.
Obviously Luka being so young and having enough time to become the future for L.A. is also extremely cool, but just being able to give guys like LeBron and other guys who are asking for trades and help at the trade deadline, to try to give them a run for a championship because ultimately that helps their legacy.
That is what separates a lot of these guys at the top. I think it's huge. I think it's cool. I think it's dope that they were able to come to a decision like that, just to kind of shake up the basketball world.
I also do think it's a new league coming. A lot of those older guys, the guys that we looked up to and watched play are getting a little bit older. They'll be out in a couple years, and it will be a new league.
Surprising, but I think it's good for the game. It's good for the league. We'll see what they do in L.A.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports