Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal Gave the Washington Wizards Life

By Jen Julie Smith

May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (left) hugs Wizards guard Bradley Beal (right) after their game against the Boston Celtics in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (left) hugs Wizards guard Bradley Beal (right) after their game against the Boston Celtics in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal gave the team life with his three with just over a minute to go. Now the team has a chance to make us proud in a do or die Game 7.

In Friday’s win against the Boston Celtics, right after Isaiah Thomas’ apparent “dagger” three, the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal immediately raced back down the court with 69 seconds left on the clock, and released from deep a 3-point shot that gave life to the City of Washington.

That was the best 3-point shot that I have ever seen in my life. It was done not only with the game on the line, but an entire franchise’s hope rested upon that shot and Bradley Beal’s shoulder.

There’s no sugarcoating it. Wednesday was a must-win for Washington, because 83% of teams in a 2-2 situation, who won Game 5 would go on to win the series.

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But these Wizards have beaten odds before. They weren’t even supposed to be here in the first place, starting their season off 2-8.

So after Wednesday’s loss, as each Wizard exited the Boston Garden’s tunnel, I told them you just have to win 2 more games. They probably didn’t even hear me and they didn’t need to, because they already knew what they had to do.

During his short time here, Paul Pierce had asked John Wall and Beal, “Do you want to be good, or do you want to be great? Because if you want to be great you have to be great every single night.”

With that in mind, the Wizards just have to be great for two nights – Friday and Monday’s upcoming matchup.

On Friday night they were great.

When Beal raced down the court and pulled up from far behind the three-point line, and as the ball was flying through the air, so were all of Washington’s past sports’ sorrow and sadness.

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And as Beal’s ball swooshed in, the Wizards rose like a phoenix out of the ashes.

Fans should stop comparing the Wizards of today, to the Championship Bullets of 1978. Not diminishing anything, because the great success of 1978 still resonates with the City today.

But it reminds me of another Celtics’ moment. When the Lakers played Boston for the 2008 championship. Magic Johnson, along with the Lakers, wanted to bring back some of the old players to commemorate the meeting of this great rivalry.

Larry Bird said, ‘No, we had our time, let them have theirs.’

John Wall, Bradley Beal (forever known as Mr. Clutch), Otto Porter, Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat, Kelly Oubre, Jr., the rest of the team and coaching staff, this is their time, because their journey is uniquely their own.

Only they know what they went through, the trials and tribulations that brought them to the footsteps of history of a Game 7.

A group of men who believed in themselves when others doubted. Who played earlier in the season to half-empty stadiums, where the a chicken sandwich cost more than a ticket.

If the Wizards could play as they did in Games 1 and 2, yet not give up their lead, they’re winning it all.

On Friday night, I watched the game with my father back home in Massachusetts.

When Beal’s ball, carried by angels, floated over the heavens and landed in the hopes and promises of Wizards fans all over the world, my dad looked at me and said, “That young boy just won the game by giving the Wizards’ life.”

I was surprised he knew the vernacular – “life”, or maybe he meant it literally that he kept the Wizards’ dreams, and simultaneously their fans’ dreams alive.

It didn’t matter, because the Wizards converted another believer. I always tell people if you have a dream, you only need one person to believe in you – and that’s yourself.

The Wizards believed they could, but it’s nice that they have their fans dreaming the impossible dream with them as well.

Therefore, on Monday, Wizards, forget about the Boston Garden’s fans’ dreams, and remember your own.

Remember the second you picked up a basketball and you believed with all your heart, that one day you would surely be an NBA Champion.

Leave everything on the floor for 48 minutes. Because only 48 minutes of blood, sweat and tears, separates you from your childhood dream.

I’m not going to say success is in the journey.

Next: Washington Wizards: What Game 6 Means To Me

No, success is when the final buzzers sounds and John Wall is leaping on the Garden’s scoring table, telling Boston what time it is.

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