開季首月得分王 Bradley Beal的逆勢而行 - NBA - 籃球

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新賽季開打滿月，首月的得分王不是傷癒復出的Kevin Durant，不是孤掌難鳴的Stephen Curry，也不是志在總冠軍的「字母哥」Giannis Antetokounmpo，而是巫師「一哥」Bradley Beal，不過他的飆分方式似乎並不符合現代NBA的潮流，因為他減少了在三分線的出手，取而代之的是更多的中距離投射，不過看起來似乎效果還不錯。

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不得不承認三分球已經成了當代籃球的一門顯學，是球員的必備技能，更被許多球隊設定為主要的攻擊方式，而且依賴性愈來愈大，本季到目前為止三分線出手比率最高的球隊是暴龍的48.9%，更別提之前幾個賽季三分投上癮的火箭有一半以上的出手來自三分線。

賽季球隊三分球出手比率 20-21 暴龍 48.9% 19-20 火箭 50.1% 18-19 火箭 51.9% 17-18 火箭 50.2% 16-17 火箭 46.2%

同樣的，三分球對聯盟過去幾屆得分王也是相當重要的得分手段，James Harden、Stephen Curry根本就是拿三分球投射當飯吃，連不以三分線見長的Russell Westbrook也有三成的三分線出手比率。

賽季球隊球員三分球出手比率 19-20 火箭 James Harden 55.7% 18-19 火箭 James Harden 53.9% 17-18 火箭 James Harden 49.8% 16-17 雷霆 Russell Westbrook 30.0% 15-16 勇士 Stephen Curry 55.4%

不過，Bradley Beal似乎不信此道，本季到目前為止場均三分線出手只有6.4次，是16-17賽季以來的新低，三分球出手比率只有26.1%，比上個賽季（36.9%）少了超過一成，更是生涯最少，增加的是中距離的出手次數，這個現在被認為最沒有效率的得分手段。

賽季三分球出手次數三分球出手比率三分球命中率中距離出手次數中距離命中率 20-21 6.4 26.1% 37.5% 7.1 56.4% 19-20 8.4 36.9% 35.3% 4.8 41.3% 18-19 7.3 37.0% 35.1% 4.2 42.6% 17-18 6.5 35.7% 37.5% 5.1 44.8% 16-17 7.2 41.8% 40.4% 3.7 47.9%

是因為Bradley Beal三分線不準所以才投中距離嗎？事實上他本季三分球命中率仍有37.5%的水準之作，1月6日對上76人狂砍60分的比賽三分球更是有10投7中的超高命中率，但他在中距離的把握度似乎較以往更好，可以透過優異的個人能力，運用各種盤球技巧晃開對手，創造出手空間：

Bradley Beal也可以透過跟對隊的擋拆配合找到更好的投籃空間，得到較為輕鬆的出手機會：

當然，他的個人能力也不在話下，不只step back，各種tough shot也難不倒他：

至於減少三分出手增加中距離跳投會是球隊本季的新方針嗎？本季巫師到目前為止場均三分球出手33.5次，前兩個賽季分別為19-20賽季的32.6次、18-19賽季的33.3次，因此，從數據上看起來似乎並非如此。

賽季三分球出手次數三分球命中率 20-21 33.5 38.9% 19-20 32.6 36.8% 18-19 33.3 34.1%

Bradley Beal並沒有不投三分球，只是比率降低，或許他正在找尋一個對個人來講更舒適、有效的進攻模式，高難度出手展現個人能力，Logo Shot會讓球迷興奮，但話說回來，投籃出手的結果只有兩種-進，跟不進，能夠把球投進籃框拿到分數比較重要，不管是1分、2分，還是3分，至於命中率就看個人的努力啦！

賽後擁抱違反防疫規定 Wall： Beal是我兄弟我會付罰款

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在上一場對陣老東家巫師隊的比賽中，牆哥John Wall全場砍下24分和5次助攻，帶領火箭隊以107-88大勝巫師。在接受採訪時牆哥對前隊友Bradley Beal是充滿著滿滿的愛。

「無論如何，Beal都是我的兄弟，我告訴他『繼續做你自己，保持前進』。在這個聯盟中，每個人都知道Beal是什麼樣子，他在聯盟中評均得分排在聯盟前五是有原因的，我知道他可以成為這種類型的球員，我也很高興看到他所取得的進步。雖然直到今天，每個人依然想營造出我們彼此厭惡那種感覺。」牆哥說道。

賽後牆哥走向Bea並擁抱致意，牆哥知道他們這樣做是違反規定，但是他願意付罰款。「儘管我們不再穿同一隊的球衣，在我心中，會永遠記得在華盛頓巫師跟Beal一起打球的時光。因為感情深厚，我不會就因為聯盟的規定就不去跟我兄弟問候擁抱。」

Bradley Beal confirms he’s frustrated after Wizards set record in futility

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There have been great players on bad teams before, but Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards are setting a new standard in combining brilliance and futility.

For the third time this season, Beal went off for more than 40 points on Wednesday. Specifically, he scored 47 points on 17 of 37 shooting with six assists, four rebounds, four steals and only three turnovers. It was a stellar game, from the NBA’s top scorer this season.

The Wizards still lost by 18 points to the 6-10 New Orleans Pelicans.

That might sound familiar if you’ve been following the Wizards over the last year, as it appears no amount of scoring from Beal is enough to steal a win. Three different times in the last year, Beal has recorded a career-high in points only for his team to lose, the most recent being when he scored a franchise-record 60 points in a loss.

In fact, the Wizards have now lost 10 straight games in which Beal has scored 40 or more points, breaking a decades-old record held by Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy of the 1961-62 Chicago Packers.

Per @EliasSports: Bradley Beal has now lost 10 consecutive games where he’s scored 40 or more points.

That’s now the longest such streak in NBA history, stretching back to last season.

Beal was tied at 9 games with Walt Bellamy. — Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) January 28, 2021

Here is what that stat looks like in screengrab form:

Bradley Beal had 47 points in a 124-106 loss to the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/EoA68CVybk — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 28, 2021

All told, Beal is now averaging 36.8 points per game in Wizards losses and 30.7 in wins. Overall, he is averaging an NBA-best 35.4 points per game for the 3-11 Wizards.

Story continues

It was in that context in which his wife, Kamiah Adams-Beal, tweeted this:

Sick of it — Kamiah Adams-Beal (@KamiahAdams) January 28, 2021

Beal himself didn’t sound very enthused after the game either:

Bradley Beal when asked if he is frustrated: “Is the sky blue?” — Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) January 28, 2021

Before you start photoshopping Beal into the uniform of your favorite team, be aware that Beal may have been speaking about the Wizards’ recent injury/COVID-19 situation and alluded to his desire to stay in the city minutes earlier.

The Wizards are in a bad place

In the Wizards’ defense, this loss was at least understandable despite Beal posting 47 points. Exhibit A: This injury/illness report.

For those of you scoring at home, that group includes the Wizards’ starting point guard, starting small forward, starting power forward, starting center and a sizable chunk of the team’s rotation off the bench. All of those players were unavailable due to the lingering effects of a COVID-19 outbreak, injury or, in Russell Westbrook’s case, rest. The two-week layoff due to said outbreak probably didn’t help the players on the court either.

That kind of personnel loss is how a player like Beal posts a season-high 37 field-goal attempts.

Beal hasn’t exactly been perfect in losses even when scoring in bunches, though. His points per game in losses is higher, but his rebounds per game, assists per game, turnovers per game, on-court offensive rating, on-court defensive rating and true shooting percentage all comparatively suffer, while his usage rating soars. Essentially, the Wizards seem to turn to Beal repeatedly when things aren’t working elsewhere, which is often.

The possibility of a Beal trade has loomed large over the last few years, and the Wizards haven’t done much to change it, even as Beal plays some of the best basketball in his life and insists he wants to win in D.C.

Wednesday will only spark a new round of speculation.