Bradley Beal was the last Wizards regular at shootaround. Over and over, he shot from behind the 3-point line before talking with the media, something he did not do after a 4-for-15 night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics.
Beal’s 26.7 percent shooting in that game was the lowest of his postseason career. He was 1-for-9 from behind the 3-point line. He shot an air ball on a possible game-winner from 15 feet just before the buzzer. He also had six turnovers against the Celtics’ rugged and fine-tuned perimeter defense.
“I still had some good looks,” Beal said. “I’m a human being, I can miss a few shots. Still had an opportunity to win. I’ll be a lot better [Thursday night].”
Beal has said in the past that he has a short memory when it comes to a good or bad game. When asked about his miss just before the buzzer Tuesday night, he said he had not thought about it since.
“Not really,” Beal said. “Forgot about it.”
He, like his coach and teammates, stated two main things: First, the Celtics are good defenders who use their hands and bodies. Second, the double-digit leads developed by the Wizards in the first two games of the series gave them a chance to leave Boston with at least one, if not both, of the games there.
“We were right there,” Beal said. “We could have closed the game out….We feel like we could have closed it out and we didn’t. It’s tough because we feel like we should have won both of them.”
Opposite of Beal’s extra work at shootaround was the break John Wall took. He did not participate Thursday morning in order to rest his sore left wrist and sprained right ankle. Wall said he sprained the ankle in Game 1. He had the stimulation machine hooked up to it during shootaround. He fell on his wrist in Game 2. Wall — who played with five non-displaced fractures in his left hand during the playoffs in 2015 after a fall on the same wrist — will be playing Thursday night.
Markieff Morris will also be in. He told The Washington Times that his sprained left ankle remains sore, then held it out to show the black wrap around it as he was on his way out of Verizon Center. Morris pointed out that he played last game, so he was definitely going to be able to play this game.
While Morris, Beal and Wall wrapped their mornings, backup center Ian Mahinmi did individual work with the basketball development group. Mahinmi took jump shots, then drove into the lane, showing his most mobility since straining his left calf April 10 against the Detroit Pistons. Wizards coach Scott Brooks said Wednesday that Mahinmi was not likely to play in Game 3. With two days off between Games 3 and 4, Mahinmi could have a shot to participate Sunday.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.