The new-look Washington Wizards bannered by the duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal took the floor in their final preseason tilt against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. It was Westbrook's preseason debut for his new team, meaning it was the first time this new duo shared the court.
After the game, Beal spoke on how the opposing defense reacted to their new offensive schemes involving an aggressive player like Westbrook:
“They still doubled me,” he said, via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “But 100 percent you notice the differences. Guys are getting more open shots… We're going to get a lot of open shots because of the space and his attack mode and his attack mentality. Defenses have to respect it. He's going to get two feet in the paint and the rest of us have to do our jobs, get open and knock them down.”
Beal and Westbrook both sat out the Wizards' preseason opener against the Brooklyn Nets, headlined by the debut of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving pairing. Beal then made his first appearance of the preseason in the following game against the Pistons, tallying 10 points in 15 minutes in a 97-86 defeat.
After two consecutive losses, the Wizards finally barged into the win column as Beal and Westbrook shared the court for the first time in the preseason proceedings. The former produced 15 points and five assists in 26 minutes, while the latter recorded eight points and seven rebounds through 17 minutes of action.
A strong first half was pivotal for the Wizards as they held off the Pistons in a 99-96 victory. Washington's new backcourt duo managed to show flashes of their potential even as they played sparingly during the preseason.
Both Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook will aim to deal damage against the rest of the league as they face the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 23 for the first game of the regular season.
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