Takeaway #2: No Backup for Bradley Beal
Another night, another wasted Bradley Beal performance by the Washington Wizards. Much like Wednesday’s loss to Philadelphia in which Beal scored 60 points in a loss, the Washington Wizards weren’t able to capitalize on their superstar’s incredible performance on Friday in Boston. As Wizards fans have grown accustomed to as of late, Beal’s scintillating 41-point outing was all for naught, as he received very little help from his teammates, at least from an offensive standpoint. Russell Westbrook, Beal’s partner in crime, shot 4/16 from the field, with seven turnovers and a -17 plus/minus on the evening. Thomas Bryant chipped in a mere seven points, and Deni Avdija finished with zero points on only three total shots. While Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans had decent offensive outings, their output wasn’t enough to match Boston’s high-speed, consistent offense. If the Washington Wizards are to make any noise in the Eastern Conference this season, Bradley Beal can’t be the only consistent offensive threat, especially with the amount of talent on the roster this season.
It’s always great to know that you have a guy on your team who can go out and get you 40 points on any given night. But look at the results of Beal’s biggest games since the start of last season. This doesn’t seem like a recipe for success.
- 60 points @ Philadelphia 76ers: Loss
- 55 points vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Loss
- 53 points @ Chicago Bulls: Loss
- 47 points @ Milwaukee Bucks: Loss
- 46 points vs. Houston Rockets: Loss
- 44 points @ Boston Celtics: Loss
- 44 points @ Minnesota Timberwolves: Win
- 43 points vs. Golden State Warriors: Loss
- 42 points vs Orlando Magic: Loss
- 42 points @ Utah Jazz: Loss
- 41 points @ Boston Celtics: Loss
- 40 points @ Atlanta Hawks: Loss