Bradley Beal and the Los Angeles Clippers haven't gotten off to the start they wanted this season, but they're hopeful a stretch of five games at home over their next six gets them back on the right track.
Beal has missed the last two games for the Clippers dealing with lower back soreness. He initially suffered the injury taking a charge during the Clippers' home win against the Phoenix Suns.
According to the Clippers' injury report heading into Friday night's Halloween contest against the New Orleans Pelicans, Bradley Beal is unlisted on the injury report and expected to play.
Without Beal, the Clippers have been a mixed bag, winning an impressive game against the Portland Trail Blazers at home while getting blown out by the Golden State Warriors on the road.
Beal is also still working his way back from offseason knee surgery. The guard underwent arthroscopic knee surgery back in May following his second season with the Phoenix Suns. A few months later, he reached a buyout agreement with the franchise and joined the LA Clippers in free agency.
He only played the first half of the team's final preseason game against the Warriors, and has played a total of 40 minutes across two games for the Clippers so far.
Following the Clippers' loss to the Warriors, head coach Tyronn Lue mentioned Beal as someone the Clippers have needed in the early portions of this season.
“I think teams are trying to pressure us more, but we are missing a key component which is Bradley Beal which gives us as hooter, a guy who can playmake, a guy who can handle the basketball as well,” Lue said after the Warriors' loss. “So when you add that to the mix, it does make us better, but we just can't have the offensive lulls throughout the course of the games like we've been having. It's combinations, guys we have on the floor. I like our second unit staggering James and Kawhi, but that didn't happen [against the Warriors] once they got tired so that put us in a tough bind.”
Through two games played, Beal has averaged just 5.5 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.0 assist as he ramps up his activity level and comfortability with this Clippers team.
Friday night's game between the Clippers and Pelicans marks the first night of NBA Cup games this season.
