Bradley Beal confirmed it.
After the game was tied at 1:19, Beal single-handedly took on multiple defenders to wipe out teammates who contributed so much all night and score on the final two possessions of the game for the Wizards. I was. The crowd gasped and then elated when DeMar DeRozan missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Even if Washington’s season-opening win in Indiana felt a little hollow considering they were up against the rebuilding Pacers, this one felt like the real deal. Despite missing Zach LaVine, Chicago is expected to be a competitive team again this season.
Kyle Kuzma said, “This was a big step for us tonight. I think we pooped the bed a little bit in Indiana. We still won, but it was an ugly win. For us, down the stretch. I didn’t have enough stops for , but I did get the right stop at the right time, and the resilient Brad hit a ridiculous shot…and that’s it. , is about stopping at the right time, timing possessions, and that way you can win.”
Optimism not just for the game, but for a season that might look different than years past, flickered just after halftime. It was formed with Beal fresh off the burden of being the Wizards’ only reliable scorer, with the energy and means to block Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu with a nasty defense. His 2020 first-round draft pick Denia Vudiya on the team seemed to have the crowd going wild with his velvety 3-pointer shortly afterwards. Kristaps Porzingis gave Nikola Vucevic trouble on defense, Kuzma fired his four of his 3-point shots, and Andre Drummond appeared to score a dunk as if he was out of the way.
Washington opened its home slate to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise’s rebranding from Bullet to Wizards, ahead of a sell-out of 20,476 attendees announced. , with a vintage look in almost everything. The Wizards played in his blue-and-gold throwback jersey, unveiled a special matching his coat, and aired a video edit before tipping off in tribute to the past. Great man.
It was all well and good that the Wizards wanted to celebrate their roots. Team roots don’t matter. Anyone who’s caught a glimpse of the game in the last four years knows that Washington’s biggest problem is its recent problem.
The Wizards need better defense. That fact never changed. But on Friday it was enough.
While there were some great defensive moments, Washington’s best defense was sometimes its offense. Recorded. Beal has 19 points and eight assists. Porzingis scored 14 points and Rui Hachimura scored 12 points.
That was enough to beat DeRozan, who dropped 32 points, and Vucevic, who climbed up to 24 points. The Wizards had a 51.2% field goal percentage and, more importantly, had a higher level of energy and aggression. A very important “care factor”.
Their 26 assists in 41 buckets is a testament to their good chemistry.
“Just watching the game, one, two, three, four players in double digits,” Beale said, dragging his stat sheet. “We’re just moving the ball well and being aggressive. No matter who’s open, shoot. That’s how we think. We trust everyone to play.” .”
Wizards experienced what a multi-threat attack looks like with all the systems kicking in.
Early in the blazing first quarter, Washington had a sequence where Beal threw a pass to Porzingis at the top of the key for a catch-and-shoot three-point shot on one possession and did the same on the next possession. Only this time, Porzingis drove in before kicking out, and point guard Monte Morris, who was waiting in the corner, scored a three. In transition, Avdija shoved the ball away from DeRozan and found Kuzma, who slammed him with one hand.
The end of the half also offered something positive. The Wizards flipped the usually fatal shortcoming of easing up at the end of the quarter and allowing their opponents to get back into the game, bombing Chicago before the break and leaning into attack in the final six minutes. They outscored the Bulls 20-11 in 2019. They held a 56-50 lead going into the locker room after a five-point margin, with three players in double digits and Beal scoring eight points. and recorded 4 assists.
When a turnover cut Washington’s lead to two points early in the fourth quarter, the Wizards scrambled and took control thanks to a decisive defensive rebound from Doron Wright. Backup point guard Wright made it two games in a row in the closing unit and bolstered Beale’s offense as a defensive anchor.
“Over and over again, we’re putting the ball in. [Beal’s] Anseld said. “He will play right and he did it tonight.”
