Welcome to the NBA Hangover. We jot down NBA stuff mostly from last night that we want to talk about. Check it out.
Bradley Beal has been scoring a ton of points.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Wass/AP.)
A lot of people on social media were pretty much clamoring to get Bradley Beal out of the hapless Washington Wizards. Beal scored 53 and then 55 in consecutive nights. And both games were losses.
Maybe Beal didn’t know it was worse than he initially thought before coming into this season. After all, he did sign another contract extension before the season started; his current deal tacked on two more seasons. Funny enough, his deal ends the same time as John Wall does, who is not expected to play at all this season.
That’s the thing, though: we all knew that Wall wasn’t going to suit up. So Beal probably figured he’d endure this season, get better on his game, and then be stronger next season with Wall back.
And man, did he work on his game. Beal has nearly been unstoppable this season, averaging 30.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. I don’t expect Wall to be 100 percent to start next season but once Wall gets back to where he was before the injury, that backcourt could be the most potent in the league.
But what else has Beal done this year? Like I said, he had consecutive games of 50 points or more; he’s the first player since Kobe Bryant to score 50+ in back-to-back nights. He’s scored 40 or more points in 9 games this season. It’s too bad that the Wizards are 20-36 (though they do have an outside shot at the postseason).
For now, Beal is going to have grin and bear through this season. Unless the Wizards do opt to trade him. But I doubt that.
Bullet Passes
The Miami Heat are 2-6 in their last 8 games. Ring the alarm, guys.
Do the same for the Utah Jazz, too, because they are 0-3 since the break.
I don’t even know what to say about the Timberwolves anymore.
Speaking of the T-Wolves, this is really nothing new from Kevin Garnett but it’s still telling on where his relationship is with the team that drafted him in 1995.
There may be no Ben Simmons in the foreseeable future but now Joel Embiid is having fun again. Career-high 49 points against the Hawks!
Well, the Clippers got Paul George and Patrick Beverley back and, surprise, they won. I mean, duh? I still think the Clippers will be just fine.
The Scoreboard
MIA 119 (36-21) @ CLE 125 (16-41) (OT)
ATL 112 (17-42) @ PHI 129 (36-22)
MIL 137 (49-8) @ WAS 134 (20-36) (OT)
ORL 115 (25-32) @ BRK 113 (26-30)
NY 112 (17-40) @ HOU 123 (37-20)
MIN 123 (16-40) @ DAL 139 (35-23)
PHX 131 (24-34) @ UTA 111 (36-21)
MEM 97 (28-29) @ LAC 124 (38-19)
Watch This Play
Rui Hachimura thought he could get the game-winning lay-up but mascot hater Robin Lopez says no.
(VIDEO CREDIT: ClutchPoints.)
The Bucks win again. And this is why people want Bradley Beal to leave D.C.
GG.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.
I sign off “GG” which means “good game” but also to honor Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.