Wizards' Beal hits last-second game-winner to beat Thunder
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ByBen Golliver
Wizards guard Bradley Beal delivered a shocking loss to the Thunder in dramatic fashion.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft hit the last-second, game-winning jumper to defeat Oklahoma City 101-99 at the Verizon Center on Monday night. The shot, which went through with 0.3 seconds remaining on the clock, improved the Wizards' league-worst record to 5-28 and dropped the Thunder to 26-8, now good for the second-best record in the Western Conference.
This wasn't your ordinary "milk the clock and jack up a step back" game-winner. Beal created the shot by picking up his dribble and using a pump fake to get Thunder center Kendrick Perkins out of position, before stepping through to hit a double-clutch leaner from just outside the free throw line. Beal's heroics also represented a case of "You win some, you lose some" role reversal. On Friday, Nets All-Star guard Joe Johnsonknocked down a last-second jumper over Beal and teammate Martell Webster in double overtime to beat the Wizards.
Beal finished with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal on seven-for-17 shooting in 45 minutes. Webster added 22 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block on seven-for-14 shooting in 34 minutes. Thunder forward Kevin Durant finished with a game-high 29 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals on nine-for-19 shooting in 41 minutes.
On Friday, Beal made the highlight reels with a baseline drive and two-hand jam over Nets guard MarShon Brooks.
