Bradley Beal admits to 'probably trying to do too much' with Wall out in Game 2
The Washington Wizards are going to need several players to step up in the absence of John Wall to have any chance of upsetting the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
That doesn't mean players should be taking the game into their own hands and overreaching, a lesson Bradley Beal learned in the team's Game 2 loss. Beal scored 20 points in the defeat but shot just 8-of-22 and committed three turnovers.
It wasn't a bad performance - Beal did better than usual at getting into the heart of the defense and creating for teammates - and he was hurt by a lack of spacing the team faces when the ball's in his hands rather than with him spotting up. He's also just not used to this level of control, as Game 2 saw him use 28 percent of the team's offensive possessions after using just 22.5 percent during the regular season.
"That's what I got caught into last time," Beal said of altering his approach without Wall. "I think that's what kind of made me play the way I did. I was probably trying to do too much."
The Wizards need Beal to do more than usual, as they don't want everything to run through replacement point guard Ramon Sessions, a great attacker but only an adequate passer, a poor shooter and an abhorrent defender.
"I can't think like that," Beal said. "I got to rely on my teammates, trust my teammates and act like John is there when he's not there."
Finding the proper balance could prove difficult, or may at least come with a learning curve. The Wizards can ill-afford a delay in that process, with the series tied at one and the Hawks likely to start making shots they've uncharacteristically missed through most of the playoffs.
It remains unclear how long Wall may be sidelined after five fractures were found in his left hand and wrist. While swelling is down, Wall's almost definitely out Saturday for Game 3 and his return depends on his own comfort level and his willingness to take a risk, as full healing doesn't normally occur for four-to-six weeks.
Beal, who claims he's 100 percent after suffering an ankle injury of his own earlier in the playoffs, is averaging 21.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, four assists and 1.7 steals through six postseason games.