WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal obtained a pleasant video tribute whereas Phoenix’s starters have been being launched in Washington.
Then he went out and supplied just a few extra clips for any future spotlight reels.
Beal was good in his return to Washington on Sunday, scoring a season-high 43 factors because the Suns rolled to a 140-112 victory over the Wizards. He might need scored 50 if he hadn’t been pulled with 8:44 remaining due to his crew’s large lead. He obtained a pleasant ovation from the gang as he left.
“Tonight was superior,” Beal mentioned. “To be again within the metropolis that has helped me develop as a person, drafted me on my nineteenth birthday. … A number of good recollections, man, and that tribute video was superior.”
Beal performed 11 seasons with the Wizards earlier than he was traded to Phoenix final offseason. Washington was heading in a unique route, as evidenced by the crew’s present document of 9-40. Now Beal has an opportunity to play on a star-studded crew alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
“It was a mutual choice again in the summertime. It wasn’t a spiteful or like a disgusting divorce,” Beal mentioned. “It was separation. No arduous emotions in it.”
After acknowledging a standing ovation from the gang throughout the pregame tribute and patting his chest, Beal placed on a present, scoring 14 factors within the first quarter and 12 extra within the second. A two-handed breakaway dunk gave him 20 factors. One other dunk within the third quarter gave him 35.
Carrying a black protecting masks after breaking his nostril final week, Beal completed the third quarter with a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left — then shot a free throw when Washington was known as for a technical foul. That gave him 41 factors.
He performed a bit at first of the fourth, however the recreation wasn’t actually unsure, and coach Frank Vogel ultimately took Beal out after he’d performed a game-high 31:01.
“I used to be not even going to go away him in to start out the fourth, to be sincere,” Vogel mentioned. “So we left him in just a few further minutes, however it’s important to method the sport the suitable means.”
Beal shot 16-of-21 from the sphere and did not appear to be forcing issues, though he mentioned his teammates clearly wished him to shine.
“It wasn’t like one thing we talked about within the locker room, however you possibly can sort of sense the vitality of the crew, like that is what we have been going to do,” Beal mentioned. “And I am not mad at it.”
When the Wizards performed at Phoenix in December, Beal could not take part due to a sprained ankle. This was solely his twenty sixth recreation of the season, and the Suns need their three stars to achieve expertise taking part in collectively earlier than the playoffs.
“It has been an adjustment for positive. You go from being very ball dominant to now you share that dominance with two different guys — and three, together with [Jusuf Nurkic],” Beal mentioned. “My function is completely completely different right here than what it was. It is a course of.”
Though the longer term is thrilling for Beal in Phoenix, this weekend was an opportunity to return to his NBA roots and luxuriate in what Washington means to him.
“It was a really cool expertise, the previous couple of days,” Beal mentioned. “It was good to have the ability to see a variety of acquainted faces. That sort of simply motivated me to play a bit bit tougher too, simply being appreciative for every thing everyone’s ever completed for me right here, being appreciative for the place I’m and the crew that I am on now.”
