Bradley Beal had a dream first game back in Washington since being traded from the Wizards to the Suns during the offseason.
Beal put up 43 points and 6 assists on 16-21 field goal shooting in a commanding 140-112 win.
“Tonight was awesome,” Beal said postgame. “To be back in the city that has helped me grow as a man, drafted me on my 19th birthday. … A lot of good memories, man, and that tribute video was awesome.”
Beal played 11 seasons with the Wizards before his move to Phoenix. He averaged 22.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in his time playing for Washington.
Speaking about his split with the Wizards, Beal said both sides handled everything extremely well.
“It was a mutual decision back in the summer. It wasn’t a spiteful or like a disgusting divorce,” Beal said. “It was a good separation. No hard feelings in it.”
There had been speculation around Beal’s future in Washington for quite some time before the trade. The Wizards were clearly looking to rebuild, while Beal was looking to play for a contending team.
He certainly found his way to a star-studded squad in Phoenix, with the Suns roster featuring the likes of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. But the Suns have had an up-and-down season and are yet to assert themselves as bonafide championship contenders.
However, they did rattle off seven wins in a row across mid to late January and now sit at 29-21 and occupy the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
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