Bradley Beal To Return Friday Vs. Cavaliers?
By Evan Massey
Bradley Beal appears poised to return to the Washington Wizards on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Washington Wizards have been missing budding star shooting guard Bradley Beal all season long so far due to a fractured left wrist that he suffered on October 10th. Beal showed major “star” potential last year with the Wizards, and he is targeting Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers as his potential return date at this point in time. Washington is one of the best up-and-coming young teams in the league, but they are in desperate need of getting their lethal scoring shooting guard back in the lineup.
Take a look at the numbers that Beal put up last season with the Wizards:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2014.
Needless to say, those numbers are impressive and they show exactly what type of impact he had for them. He worked very hard this past offseason and played with Team USA in FIBA competition this summer as well, and is expected to take the next step forward this season. John Wall has stepped up his big game so far this year for the Wizards with Beal out, and his production will be much easier when his running mate gets back on the floor.
At this point in time, the Wizards are 6-2 and are the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They are currently 18th in the NBA in points per game average, and Beal will be able to bump that number up quite a bit. There is no denying the success that they have had so far this year, but their full potential hasn’t even been touched yet.
Beal is going to bring excellent three-point shooting, mid-range shooting, and the ability to get to the rim offensively. He is an underrated defender and will add excellent athleticism to the lineup as well. Washington has needed his scoring on the floor and he is going to make things much easier on everyone else when he gets back into the linup.
Washington will be looking to make a point against the Cavaliers on Friday night, and welcoming Beal back will help quite a bit. The Wizards could very well end up being a top-three team in the Eastern Conference when everything is said and done, but they will need Beal playing at a high level to reach that point.
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
There is no denying that Beal has the potential to become one of the most deadly scorers in the league. He is just 21 years old and is entering his third season in the NBA, and has seen a steady growth in his game each and every year. The Wizards have continued to give him more and more opportunities in their offense, and he is poised to take his numbers to a completely new level this year.
All of that being said, the Wizards will be very happy to welcome Beal back next week against the Cavaliers. It will be very intriguing to see what he is able to do after the injury, and how long it takes for him to work off his rust.