Wizards lose despite career night from Bradley Beal for second straight game

For a second straight game, Bradley Beal was transcendent on Monday. The rest of the Washington Wizards, not so much.

The Wizards fell in excruciating fashion Monday against the league-best Milwaukee Bucks, losing 137-134 in overtime despite Beal’s career-high 55 points. The performance echoed the Wizards’ previous game, where he scored 53 points — then a career high — as the Wizards fell 126-117 to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

Twenty-nine of Beal’s 55 points came in the fourth quarter or overtime. It was an epic performance from a player that committed to the team long-term during the season, and yet it wasn’t enough.

Somehow, the Wizards still lost

Despite facing opposite ends of the Eastern Conference, it was the Bucks loss that was more excruciating, simply because of the missed opportunity. The Wizards had three separate chances to take the lead in the final minute of regulation, and missed out on all three.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo had also fouled out late in the fourth quarter, creating a perfect opportunity for the Wizards to steal a win in a game they had trailed by 20 points in the third quarter.

Nine overtime points from Antetokounmpo’s fellow All-Star Khris Middleton buried those hopes, as well as a chance for Beal to finally be rewarded for yet another transcendent performance.

Beal still made history by topping 53 points in both games. That performance puts him among only Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden as players to top 53 points in consecutive games. He’s also the first player in the NBA to top 50 in back-to-back since Kobe Bryant, and he did so on the day of the Lakers legend’s memorial service.

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