Published 12:25 IST, January 7th 2021
Bradley Beal drops career-high 60 points during 76ers defeat, joins MJ in franchise list
Bradley Beal was on fire in Philadelphia as he almost single-handedly led the Wizards to a win against the 76ers with a career-high 60 points on Wednesday.
- SportFit
- 2 min read
Bradley Beal almost single-handedly thwarted the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, and the Washington Wizards came close to erasing 21 point lead. The 27-year-old scored thrice as many points as the next-best scorer in the team as Washington eventually fell to a 141-136 defeat at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Beal ended with 60 points, his best-ever tally.
Wizards vs 76ers: Bradley Beal career-high puts him in elite company with Micheal Jordan
A packed Wells Fargo Center could well have been biting their nails while adjusting to the end of their seats if not for the coronavirus pandemic after Bradley Beal dropped an insane haul on Wednesday night. Bettered only by Steph Curry's 62 point haul this season, the 27-year-old managed 60 points in Philadelphia, his best-ever performance in the NBA so far. Beal shot 20-of-35 from the field, including 7-of-10 from behind the arc, while sinking 13 of 15 free throws. The Wizards star also dished out five assists and grabbed seven rebounds during his 38 minutes on the court.
Beal managed a whopping 57 points in the three quarters, but the Philadelphia defense rallied to shut him down in the fourth quarter, to seal a five-point win. The 27-year-old had 32 points at the half, becoming the third Wizards player to score 30 points in a half in the last 20 years. The others to do it were NBA legend Michael Jordan (34 in 2001) and Gilbert Arenas (33 in 2006 and 30 in 2007). Beal's previous career high was 55 points and this was his fourth instance of crossing the half-century mark for the Wizards, another franchise record.
NBA live scores: 76ers eke out a 5-point win despite Bradly Beal's wizardry
Russell Westbrook was the second-highest-scoring Wizard with 20 points. The former Rockets man also had eight rebounds and 12 assists to his name as he supported Beal in their push for the win. In the end, the 76ers' blazing start was too big a mountain to climb for Washington, and Beal's wizardry could only get them this close. Joel Embiid posted a team-high 38 points, with Seth Curry scoring 28, while Shake Milton and Tobias Harris chipped in with 19 each. Ben Simmons and Danny Green also got into double figures in a what was night to forget for the Washington defense.
(Image Courtesy: Washington Wizards Twitter)
Updated 12:25 IST, January 7th 2021