With many missed games for the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns, the LA Clippers hoped Bradley Beal’s availability would magically return, considering he is on a team with an elite medical staff in a city he wanted to play in. These two factors are key, as players tend to fall in love with the game more when both exist, yet Beal has already missed two out of the Clippers’ first four games.
Furthermore, with the regular season opener exactly one week ago, Beal has made it difficult for Clippers fans to believe he will perform differently in LA. It also does not help that he is inefficient, with a game log of just five points in his debut and six in his first game against the Suns.
That said, despite clear defensive improvements, health-wise, the Clippers may have signed the same player who was just in The Valley.
Without Bradley Beal, the LA Clippers’ shooting guard rotation is incompetent
In the preseason, Bradley Beal’s injury designation for the LA Clippers was knee-related, and after two regular-season games, he has been out with lower back soreness. It was manageable against the Portland Trail Blazers, but not having his extra scoring spark in Chase Center really helped the Golden State Warriors' defense limit the Clippers to 79 points.
Though the Washington Wizards’ second all-time scoring leader has not even scored ten points this season, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler have been battling with him for years. These three hall-of-famers know that a close eye must be kept on him, and that a defender must always be in his grill.
Moreover, with Beal having already missed fifty percent of the Clippers’ season thus far, Tyronn Lue has started Bogdan Bogdanovic for two consecutive games.
He has not been good, as expected, with just two points in 33 total minutes, shooting 1-9 from the field and 0-5 from three. Bogdanovic is still a great offensive player, but most of his attempts are flat and short of the rim, showing that he needed time, which had already run out, to prepare.
With full practices on Wednesday (today) and Thursday, Beal should be ready for a crucial game against the winless New Orleans Pelicans at home on Friday. The Clippers will need him, and if his back is the reason he is ruled out, LA’s first losing streak of the season could be activated.