Bradley Beal has been the lone centerpoint of the Washington Wizards offense after All-Star point guard John Wall underwent knee surgery and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks of action after the procedure.

The Wizards now have lost three straight games, defeated by strong playoff teams like the Golden State Warriors, the Toronto Raptors, and most-recently the surging Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

Beal took the responsibility on his shoulders, as a pivotal loss to Indiana now has slipped them to fifth place in the Eastern Conference and given the Pacers a half-game lead over them.

The marksman was 0-for-5 in the final 2:30 of a one or two-possession game, failing to give the Wizards a much-needed basket. Asked if it had to do with the fatigue of being the No. 1 option on a nightly basis, he made no excuses for himself.

“It’ no excuse, man. I got to hit them shots. It’s just plain and simple,” said Beal, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “I was tired but you can’t half-ass carry a team. You got to go all out. I got to make some shots.”

Bradley Beal, John Wall
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Beal has the third-lowest field goal percentage (30.8 percent) among those who have attempted at least 50 shots in “clutch” situations this season, according to NBA.com's metrics.

“It’s no excuse for me,” Beal re-assured. “Every player wants to play. There’s guys who wish they can play and don’t play, so I can’t sit here and say that I’m tired. If I’m on the floor, I got to produce, and it’s just plain and simple. John’s out. That’s reality. And I have to step up more. The team does. But I’m going to play 37 or 40-plus minutes a night. That’s always my thought process going into a game. I’ll get my rest after the game.”

Bradley Beal
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The Wizards will have a chance to bounce back at home against another playoff-hungry team in the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.