The Best of the Day: January 27th, 2021

If Scott Brooks isn’t forced to leave soon, it seems inevitable that Bradley Beal will force his own way out

Bradley Beal can’t catch a break. The man leading the nation’s capital is averaging a whopping 41 PPG over his last six games played, but DC is 0-6 in those games and now 3-11 overall. Without John Wall alongside him in the backcourt, the Wizards have lacked the firepower to provide Beal with even an adequate supporting cast. It’s hard to point to a lack of scoring as Washington’s issues though, considering their collective 115.7 PPG are the fourth most in the entire NBA. 

It’s really the defensive side of the ball that is holding WAS back and preventing Beal’s constant 30+pt performances from translating into victories. This isn’t new for Wizards fans as the team had the same glaring issue last year. The franchise finally got rid of GM Ernie Grunfeld and as much praise as Tommy Shepard has received since taking the reins, he failed to address one of the biggest weaknesses any team in the league had entering the season: DC’s dismal defense. 

Now it’s gone from bad to worse with Russell Westbrook’s load management, Thomas Bryant’s torn ACL, and Troy Brown’s progress turning in the opposite direction. Some blame definitely deserves to be pointed at the front office for not acquiring more defensive-minded players or using their top-10 pick on a defensive stopper (or at least someone that can contribute 20-30+ MPG right away because of their defensive acumen). 

However, a recurring theme in Washington’s lack of success during Bradley Beal’s ascension to one of the best scorers in the league has been Head Coach Scott Brooks. The basketball leader in the nation’s capital doesn’t instill any defensive accountability which has had a detrimental impact on the number of points opponents score vs. the Wiz on a nightly basis. When is enough, enough? It’s only a matter of time until their frustrated superstar forces his way out unless they fire Scott Brooks and find a HC that can bring this team back to the playoffs in the near future.

COLORS KEY | FULL WIZARDS FUTURE OUTLOOK

Bradley Beal is averaging 41 PPG over his last 6 GP.

Washington Wizards are 0-6 in those 6 games https://t.co/RsxipEwCDW

— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 28, 2021

Bradley Beal scored 47 points tonight in a loss to the Pelicans. It's his 10th straight loss when recording at least 40 points.

Beal is the first player in NBA history to lose 10 straight 40-point games h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/LhvTTnUXd1

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 28, 2021

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