Phoenix Suns 107-128 Washington Wizards: Twitter explodes as Beal shines in blowout victory
The Washington Wizards came out swinging against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, erupting for 68 points in the first half on their way to a 128-107 victory. This is only the third win of this NBA season for the Wizards, but could be a great sign of a momentum shift.
The Wizards were led offensively by Bradley Beal, who finished with a game-high 34 points and added to his impressive season totals. Beal is now averaging 34.9 points per game and has put his name among some of the best in the league for early MVP talks.
The Wizards improved to 3-8 with this victory, and still have quite a bit of ground to cover in the very competitive Eastern Conference. This was a great performance, nonetheless, and the Wizards should not be taken lightly moving forward.
Washington Wizards shock Suns with blowout victory
This victory snaps a three-game losing streak for the Washington Wizards, and could prove to uplift the spirits of the Wizards and potentially revive their season with 61 games remaining.
The Washington Wizards have been getting lots of help from their role players in the wake of Russell Westbrook's absence, and have to be thrilled with the way Bradley Beal has stepped into a leadership role. Beal is a true star, and has been proving his value as one of the top shooters in the NBA thus far.
Another key contributor for the Wizards' offense was Davis Bertans, a 6-foot-10 Latvian forward. Bertans scored 18 points off the bench, and shot a solid 60% from the field.
Here's how Twitter reacted to the Wizards' blowout victory:
The Phoenix Suns began the game with practically zero defense, allowing a season-high 68 points in the first half. The poor defense by the Suns was exploited by the Wizards many times throughout the night, particularly by Bradley Beal. The Suns' leading scorer was Devin Booker with 33 points, with their next-highest scorer being Mikal Bridges with 14. This is the Suns' fourth loss of the season, and third in their last five games.
Here are more reactions from Twitter on the game:
The Washington Wizards will stay on their home court and play the Utah Jazz in their next game on Wednesday (Jan. 13). The Wizards sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, and will need to overcome adversity to gain a chance at a playoff spot this season.
The Phoenix Suns will return to Phoenix to host the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The Suns must make quick adjustments if they are going to slow down the momentum of Trae Young and the Hawks. This loss dropped the Suns to fourth place in the Western Conference, and they will need to have a great outing Wednesday to avoid falling further.