Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks knew from the beginning the Russell Westbrook-Bradley Beal partnership would work.
Brooks spoke on Washington's dynamic duo during an appearance on Chris Mannix's The Crossover podcast. He said he believed Westbrook's fiery competitiveness and demanding nature would appeal to Beal and take some of the leadership burden off his shoulders.
Brooks also lauded how Westbrook and Beal have sacrificed for each other, adding the selflessness has only strengthened the bond between the two Wizards stars.
NEW @TheCrossover Pod: What has sparked such strong chemistry between Russell Westbrook and @RealDealBeal23? Scott Brooks takes us inside that relationship. Plus @HowardBeck and I run through our MVP ballots. pic.twitter.com/zBhRPLq5df
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 18, 2021
Contrary to popular preseason belief, Westbrook's on-ball demands have not cut into Beal's touches or ability to score the ball.
Beal finished just behind Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in the race for the scoring title, averaging 31.4 points per game and a career-high 23.0 field goal attempts per game. In fact, Westbrook's desire to push the pace and make plays in transition have probably made things easier for Beal because the frenetic style attracts so much defensive attention.
Indeed, Beal shot a career-high 48.5 percent from the field this season, while Westbrook dished out a career-high (and NBA best) 11.7 assists per contest. The Wizards have thrived as a result, navigating a slew of injuries to grab the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Washington is now faced with an opportunity to snatch the No. 7 seed in Tuesday night's play-in game with the Boston Celtics. The Wizards are 1-2 against Boston this season, but the Celtics are without Jaylen Brown.
The Wizards will likely lean on their superstar duo to provide the offensive playmaking Tuesday night in Boston.
Follow Us
Subscribe