NBA 2019-20: Washington Wizards lose to league-worst Golden State Warriors
The Washington Wizards lost to the Golden State Warriors 125-117 on Monday night. This was certainly an embarrassing loss for the Wizards as they faced the Warriors, who have a league-worst 12-39 record. On top of that, Wizards' guard Bradley Beal passed John Wall for franchise all-time scoring record, but could not get enough help tonight despite two key players returning from injuries.
Rookie Rui Hachimura and German big-man Moritz Wagner both returned tonight after missing several games due to injuries. Hopefully, once they are put into a more fluid rotation, they will help contribute as much as they used to previously. With that being said, here is an analysis of Monday night's loss.
Beal scores 43 points, 7th 40+ point game this season
Bradley Beal continues making statements since being snubbed from the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. Last night, Beal dropped 43 points on the Warriors but unfortunately, it was not enough to get a win over them. He went 15-30 from the field, 10-10 from the charity stripe, and 3-7 from beyond the arc with two rebounds and six assists. He added two steals as well, which we are continuing to see more of from him.
While he could not get the win for the Washington tonight, Beal was able to pass John Wall on Wizards' all-time scoring list. He currently sits in third place and should move up to second place very soon. Nonetheless, fans are certainly disappointed that Beal was not chosen to the All-Star Weekend despite his current performance.
Hachimura returns after missing 23 games, scores 11
Rookie Rui Hachimura, who is greatly loved by the fans and coaches, returned after a groin injury he suffered almost a month ago. Tonight, he played 26 minutes and scored 11 points with eight rebounds. He went 5-8 from the field.
While his production was not too much on his return, head coach Scott Brooks is slowly putting him back into the rotation by limiting his minutes. It was certainly good to see the young man back on the court and within a few games, we should see him producing the way he was before his injury.
What's next?
The Wizards continue their home game stand and will face the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, who are without star Luka Doncic currently. Tune in at 7 PM ET to catch the matchup.