Beal on Wizards' defense: 'We can't guard a parked car' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Wizards have put together one of the best offenses in the NBA, one that scores a lot of points. But they still can't get the necessary stops to win more games than they lose.
On Friday, they gave up 116 points to the Celtics, only after Boston slowed down in the second half. Boston had 66 points at halftime and 93 through three quarters. They led by as many as 28 points.
Though the Wizards held the Celtics to 20 points in the fourth quarter, they swung and missed when they needed timely stops in the closing minutes. Afterward, Bradley Beal offered a harsh assessment of his team's play on that end of the floor.
"It's our defense. I don't know why it's our defense. At this point, we can't guard a parked car," he said.
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That's one way to put it, but it's hard to blame Beal for the hyperbole. The Wizards have been as bad as any team defensively this season.
Washington is last in points allowed (122.1 per game) and have the third-worst defensive rating (114.6). They are allowing the second-highest three-point percentage (40%) and the second-most points at the free throw line (23.4).
"We've gotta compete better than what we are," Beal said.
Until the Wizards fix their defensive issues, it will be difficult to turn their season around. They are now 2-7, tied with the Detroit Pistons for the most losses in the league.
