“Passing Michael Jordan is a great feeling”: Bradley Beal reflects on his record-breaking performance in the Wizards’ win over the Heat last night

Bradley Beal might soon break his back, carrying the Wizards to playoff contention. But last night, passing Michael Jordan was one of his special achievements.

The NBA’s leading scorer of the year has turned on the afterburners this season like never before. We thought we’d seen his best last year, when he averaged 30.4 points per game for Washington. But he’s really turned it up a notch as a scorer with Westbrook alongside him now.

The Wizards are trying to cobble together a couple of wins after losing starting center Thomas Bryant for the season. Reinforcements for the team need to be defense-focused, as is obvious from anyone who’s watched their games this year.

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This was the first time in the season that they have held their opponents to 100 points or less. Perhaps Westbrook’s absence spurred them to increase their defensive focus. As things turned out, they were a tidy unit, but they needed a scoring push from Bradley Beal to seal the deal.

Bradley Beal reacts to passing Michael Jordan in 25-point game streaks

Bradley Beal surpassed Michael Jordan for the most consecutive 25-point games to begin an NBA season (since the NBA/ABA merger). Speaking to Fred Katz, Beal stated this in the post-game interview:

“It’s pretty cool. It’s a remarkable achievement – it’s not something you always shoot for, but it’s amazing to just hear those stats that we come up with in our game. To pass him, it’s always a great feeling. It’s always something you always kinda put in your accolades, but at the same time, it felt even better getting a win.”

“So it’s a milestone in a lot of different fashions tonight, so I was happy… But to pass Michael, like you said, it means a lot.”

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The Wizards are now slightly over the .200 record they possessed a few days ago, and off the very bottom of the league standings. It’s still an uphill climb, but they seem capable of putting together a streak based on the talent they have.