Looks like Damian Lillard is not a fan of Jordan Poole.
The recent trade request from Damian Lillard has put him in the spotlight after spending 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.
One of the memorable highlights from his time with the Blazers was when Lillard scored an impressive 61 points against the Golden State Warriors during the 2019-20 NBA season.
This outstanding performance by Lillard was apparently fueled by Jordan Poole’s trash talk, leading to Lillard’s domination over the Warriors on MLK Day.
Lillard discussed this altercation on ‘The Colin Cowherd’ podcast in 2022, explaining how Poole’s comments triggered his competitive response.
“I really didn’t pay attention to him until maybe like two years ago,” Lillard said. “We played against Golden State, and Steph was hurt, Draymond was hurt. We was playing against them, and he wasn’t playing a lot of minutes, but he like did a move, and he like scored on me. He hit a shot, he hit a three, and he started talking s**t. And I was like, ‘I don’t talk s**t. I don’t say nothing, I just play. If somebody say something to me, I’ll say something back, but whatever.
“He said something, so I looked back, like what? I think I had like 40, but we lost at Golden State. Towards the end of the first half or whatever, I’m at the free throw line, and he’s just back there talking. So I turn to him, and I’m like, ‘Man, shut the f**k, like shut up. He was like, ‘Make me.’ So, my natural instinct was like, ‘Bro, I train in combat. I’m from Oakland. That was my natural. So, we start going back-and-forth.”
Despite initially disregarding Poole, Lillard’s fiery interaction with him on the court spurred him to deliver an exceptional scoring performance.
Lillard sought revenge against Poole on January 20, 2020, unleashing 61 points after a slow start to the game.
“And then, like shortly after, we played them on MLK Day in Portland,” Lillard added. “And he was on the bench, and I started the game real slow. He’s on the bench, and he says, ‘Oh, he ain’t on s**t tonight.’ So I turn and look at him. Draymond is sitting next to him, and me and Draymond is real cool. In that game, I end up scoring 60 points, and we beat them in Portland, and I just remember telling Draymond, ‘Man, I don’t mess with that dude like that, like I don’t like him.'”
This triumph over Poole and the Warriors in Portland solidified Lillard’s dislike for him, as expressed in a conversation with Draymond Green, his friend and Warriors player.
Watch below:
The altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole had a detrimental impact on the chemistry of the Golden State Warriors during the 2022-23 NBA season.
Their struggles throughout the season were evident, leading to their failure to defend their title in the 2023 playoffs.
Damian Lillard shared his thoughts on the incident, expressing his indifference towards it but seemingly showing support for Green.
Ultimately, the Warriors made a decision between Poole and Green for the 2023-24 NBA season. Green secured a four-year, $100 million contract extension, while Poole was traded to the Wizards.
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