NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 keys to Wizards vs. Hawks matchup
By John Buhler
3. Will Bradley Beal stay healthy?
Bradley Beal did it! He played in more that 75 games for the first time in his professional career. When healthy, Beal is a borderline All-Star out on the wing for an excellent Wizards team. He is a ball of energy out there and can really make it difficult for solid defensive teams to keep up with his pace.
However, his fragility had undermined his star potential until this past regular season. Beal averaged 23.1 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 77 games for the first-place Wizards. He shot 44.1 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc. With a 20.1 PER and 8.5 Win Shares, this was easily Beal’s best season to date.
There isn’t any friction between he and point guard John Wall anymore. They’ve developed excellent chemistry in the backcourt for first-year Wizards head coach Scott Brooks. One could argue Washington could plaster the Hawks in this first-round series mostly because of their far superior backcourt.
That being said, playoff basketball is more physical and Atlanta will play defense with a great deal of muscle. Nobody wants to see Beal get hurt, as he’s a fun player to watch do work with the ball in his hands. However, he can’t miss a game if Washington wants to win this series comfortably. Beal has to stay healthy in these playoffs for the Wizards if they want to make some noise in the East.