While there were big games being played out at the top of the NBA including the Lakers vs the Nuggets, there was an interesting match-up at the lower end.
The basement dweller game between the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards lined up to have potentially serious implications.
Both teams have managed a paltry 15 mins all season, and whoever lost this game would surge to number one in the NBA Draft Lottery standings.
The Wizards had received criticism nights earlier after Jordan Poole played only 11 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers. One ESPN analyst called for a NBA investigation to take place.
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty ImagesUtah Jazz emerge victorious
It was the Washington Wizards who solidified their ranking as the worst of the worst, losing 112-128 fore the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz’s hollow victory locked up their 16th win of the season with Kyle Filiposki leading the team with 21 points.
On the other side there was one number that stood out. Wizards star Jordan Poole scored only two points.
Poole played 20 minutes, ending the night with a lowly 2-5-2 statline, in which he went an embarrassing 1-11 from the field including 0-9 from three point range.
Rotowire noted that Poole was playing through an elbow injury, possibly explaining his awful performance.
Fans were less convinced, believing Poole and the Wizards are actively in tank mode.
“He knew the assignment,” wrote one fan, with another adding: “All time tank performance.”
“Can’t blame him he did his job,” added a third.
“Yikes! He has been crushing it this season tho!” wrote another fan after learning about his inefficient night.
“Jordan Poole understood the assignment. Jazz players didn’t,” added another.
With his inefficient shooting hurting the team, Poole contributed to the loss, strengthening the Wizards’ grip on the highest possible lottery odds, now likeliest to finish as the team with the worst record in the NBA.
Jordan Poole has had big scoring numbers
Just nights earlier, Poole had scored an overtime game winner to defeat the Denver Nuggets, in a 19 points performance.
He began the month with a 34 point effort against the Raptors, while he posted 45 points against the Cavaliers in February, a new career high.
For the season Poole is averaging 20.4 points per game, a number brought down after his dismal showing against the Jazz.