Beal, Westbrook shine but can't stir up Wizards magic
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Wizards guard Bradley Beal trying to get past Magic guard Dwayne Bacon during their NBA game in Washington DC on Boxing Day. The Wizards have started the season 0-2 and need to improve in defence and free-throw shooting.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
WASHINGTON • Bradley Beal has erupted for 70 points and blockbuster summer acquisition Russell Westbrook has recorded a triple-double in back-to-back National Basketball Association (NBA) games for the Washington Wizards.
But the strong individual performances have yet to translate into wins in the opening games of the league season.
The Wizards are aiming to seal a play-off berth for the first time since 2017-18 but following successive losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic - both of whom reached the post-season in August - there is still considerable room for improvement.
Beal followed up his 39-point display against the Sixers with 31 points as Washington fell 130-120 at home to the Magic on Saturday.
Last season, Orlando swept the Wizards, scoring at least 120 points en route to winning all four Eastern Conference regular-season games.
The Wizards' defence still looks too open and their free-throw woes has carried over into the new term.
They made 16 of 23 shots from the line in a 113-107 setback against the 76ers and 15 of 28 in the loss to the Magic.
At 24.6, the hosts were seventh in NBA last season in free-throw attempts per game but that number was largely inflated by Beal, who had 8.0 attempts per game.
Urging his teammates to step up their game, the All-Star guard told The Athletic: "We just gotta take those adverse times and learn how to deal with them and move on... We have a willing team who wants to learn, who wants to get better.
Westbrook collected 15 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists to join Magic Johnson (twice), Jerry Lucas and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to record a triple-double in each of his team's first two games of the season.
He is also the first player to do it with a new team after being acquired from the Houston Rockets in the off-season for fellow All-Star guard John Wall. However, it was still a patchy game from Westbrook, who shot six-of-19 from the field and missed all four of his three-point attempts on Saturday.
35.0
Bradley Beal's average points per game after two NBA matches this season.
"This one's on me. I was b***s******* around, missing shots," the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player said. "For us, we didn't put ourselves in position to win the game, especially myself. Missing easy shots - it wasn't nothing that they did."
While Washington are off to a sluggish start, Orlando have won their first two games for the first time since 2012-13 and the speed of their game suits Markelle Fultz, who had 21 points on the night.
"I love it," the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft told Fox Sports. "It started in training camp. I think it's going to be good for everybody."
REUTERS
