Minus Russell Westbrook and Thomas Bryant, Bradley Beal powers Wizards past Suns
Washington had no use for one in every of Beal’s last-minute bursts. The Wizards (3-8) have been with out beginning heart Thomas Bryant (anterior cruciate ligament) and place to begin guard Russell Westbrook (left quad), however served up a win simply after they wanted a carry most.
Bryant will miss the remainder of the season and Westbrook is out a minimum of every week, the crew introduced Monday earlier than the sport.
Washington opened with vitality anyway, holding the Suns to fifteen factors within the first quarter and constructing to a 32-point lead within the second with Phoenix (7-4) enjoying with none of its regular pop. Second quarters have been troublesome for the Wizards up to now however three-point specialist Davis Bertans stepped as much as drill 5-of-6 from past the arc for 15 factors in simply over 9 minutes to assist preserve the depth all through the primary half.
Beal, again after missing Saturday’s loss to Miami because of the NBA’s contact tracing protocols, picked up simply the place he left off. The guard led with 34 factors on 12-of-22 taking pictures from the sphere — changing into simply the fourth NBA participant since 1976 to begin a season scoring 25 factors in his first 10 video games.
He additionally dished 9 assists and had eight rebounds.
Beal wasn’t at it alone Monday. Bertans lastly clicked into gear after a gradual begin to the season and scored 18 factors, all from deep. Three different starters — level guard Raul Neto (16 factors), heart Robin Lopez (11) and ahead Rui Hachimura (10) — scored in double figures.
In his first begin of the season in Bryant’s stead, Lopez helped set a tone on the rim grabbing 11 rebounds, together with eight offensive boards.
Washington will want all Bertans and Lopez have to provide with out Bryant and Westbrook to assist pad the offense.
Westbrook will miss time with a left quadriceps damage he initially sustained throughout coaching camp final month and aggravated at Philadelphia final week.
“The thing about him, he’s as tough as nails, he’s as tough as a competitor as anybody I’ve ever been around as a player and as a coach, and it bothered him,” Brooks mentioned earlier than Monday’s recreation. “He pushed through it with the treatments and padding and everything, but he never made an excuse, not even to me, I know he knows he could play better. But he’s starting to get better, and then he hit it again, set him back a little bit.”
Though Brooks mentioned Westbrook got here to camp wholesome, that is the 32-year-old’s third damage within the past few months.
A proper quad pressure triggered him to overlook eight video games, together with 4 within the playoffs, with the Houston Rockets in August. Westbrook additionally dislocated his finger final week however performed Friday in Boston anyway, scoring 12 factors on a 4-for-16 taking pictures effort and committing seven turnovers.
Westbrook performed in only one preseason recreation and has missed three video games — all of the second half of back-to-backs — on a relaxation regime the crew mapped out throughout preseason. The Rockets employed an analogous plan final season.
