The Phoenix Suns needed a win. Bradley Beal brought one home.
Beal, who was traded to the Suns in June, is becoming their emotional leader. The 30-year-old guard had two key steals in the final minutes of the team's 108-107 win over the Sacramento Kings, including the clinching strip of De'Aaron Fox to secure the victory.
After the buzzer sounded, Beal celebrated and shared an encouraging attitude in a postgame interview with Arizona's Family Sports reporter Amanda Pflugrad. Via Arizona's Family 3TV:
“It's time,” Beal said.
“It's time to start playing defense, it's time to execute and take care of the ball on offense. It's time, man. We want to win a ring.”
Bradley Beal's point-guard role helping Suns win
Beal, whose natural position is shooting guard, has become the team's defacto point guard in the last month.
The three-time All-Star in 2020-21 competed for the NBA's scoring title, averaging 31.3 points. His role has shifted next to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker and he's embraced it.
“I embrace it, man, because it's bringing us a winning culture, getting a paint presence every time down the floor, getting us organized,” Beal previously said after a practice. “Make sure we have a good flow, continuity within the game. I've embraced it. It's been a challenge, obviously, I have a ‘score-first' mentality, and it's probably some shots I pass up, just trying to be cognizant of being in that role.
“It's fun playing a position. It allows me to defend a lot of the teams' best players I'd never guard, which is something I take pride in too. It's something I like. I enjoy it.”
Beal finished with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists, one block and two steals, each of which kept the Suns in a game that seemed too far out of reach until the final minute.
He doubled down on his “ring” take postgame. Via AZCentral:
“We have a great opportunity in front of us that I don't want to let go to waste,” Beal said. “Whatever it takes to win now moving forward, I want that ring bad…I'm going to put my body on the line, do whatever it takes to get a win.”
He has a no-trade clause and essentially got himself to Phoenix, something he also discussed with AZCentral.
“It's everything to me,” Beal said. “Sacrificing and being able to take other on abilites I ‘didn't do' in years past, being able to defend, being able to playmake, being able to do those things, just opens the book for what I'm able to do, just in totale. I think everybody's just getting a better lens of it now, full spectrum of it.
“I'm just happy man.”
Phoenix has a chance to move out of the NBA play-in round. The Suns' 108-107 win over the Kings locked them in to at least the No. 7 seed. If they win Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the No. 6 seed in the West, the New Orleans Pelicans, lose to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns take the No. 6 seed.
Sunday's game will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be televised by Arizona's Family.
Follow Us
Subscribe