The Washington Wizards are getting a pair of key players back for Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz.
Thomas Bryant is back in the rotation after a six-week absence, and Fred Katz of The Athletic reported Bradley Beal will also return after missing the last five games. Wizards head coach Scott Brooks suggested Beal is likely to face a minutes restriction:
Bradley Beal will play but not on usual minutes, per Scott Brooks
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 12, 2020
Beal had played in 194 consecutive games prior to sitting out against the New York Knicks on Dec. 28. The Wizards have since attempted to exhibit caution with the superstar guard, who is nursing a leg injury. The 26-year-old is averaging 27.8 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds through his first 31 appearances.
There were a number of questions regarding Beal's future in Washington prior to the start of the regular season. However, the Wizards inked Beal to a two-year, $72 million extension in October, solidifying their backcourt for the immediate future.
Beal has struggled to establish consistency this season. He stumbled out of the gates, but averaged close to 29 points per game in November while shooting an even 50 percent from the field. He took another step back in December, however, shooting below 40 percent and posting a .514 true shooting percentage.
Still, Beal's prolific offensive output has helped the Wizards become one of the most exciting teams in the league. They rank fifth in scoring and 10th in offensive rating.
Unfortunately, Washington is also dead-last in the NBA in terms of opponents scoring average and defensive rating, according to Basketball Reference.
The Wizards are 4 1/2 games out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. But with key players starting to get healthy, can they build some momentum and make a playoff run heading into the second half of the season?
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