Bradley Beal Puts Forth Best Effort to Keep Wizards Afloat in Loss to Pacers
When you’re the franchise player, sometimes you have to put the team on your back. That is exactly what Bradley Beal did as he battled through back soreness to keep the Washington Wizards afloat as they faced the Indiana Pacers for the second time this season.
The Wizards got the best of the Pacers in the season opener when they cruised past them to win the first game on their schedule. The tables quickly turned when Indiana visited Washington for the rematch on Friday night at Capital One Arena.
It was a sluggish first half with the Wizards struggling defensively and also allowing the Pacers to take advantage of free throws. They went into halftime with 21-22 free throws made.
Although the defense improved in the second half, Beal continued to do his best to rally the team with a three-pointer in the 3rd quarter to bring the game within ten, 92-82.
He also hit another one from behind the arc in the 4th quarter to close in on the Pacers lead, 114-108. After that point, Indiana extended their lead and never looked back.
Despite Beal’s effort, the Wizards could not hold on, dropping a winnable game leading up to a tough stretch that includes the Celtics on Sunday.
He finished with a game-high 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting (7-7 FT), also amassing seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block on the evening.
Beal becomes the first Wizards player to top 30 points this season and records his first 30+ point game since January 3, 2022 vs. Charlotte (35).
