The Washington Wizards dominated the Toronto Raptors in the first two games of their first-round playoff series and head home with a 2-0 lead. In fact, the Wizards are the only NBA team to win on the road in the postseason so far.
If you’ve watched five minutes of this series, you know these teams don’t like each other. The action on the court has been physical, and the trash talk has even extended off the floor, too.
In Game 2, the Wizards seemed extra motivated, specifically shooting guard Bradley Beal, who shared some interesting comments on the Raptors during his halftime interview.
Beal finished with a game-high 28 points in the finest playoff performance of his young career. His backcourt partner, Wizards point guard John Wall, had 26 points and dished out a game-high 17 assists. Raptors starting guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for just 26 points.
The Wizards are out to prove they’re a legit contender in the Eastern Conference after coming within two victories of the conference finals last season.
Not only do they have the talent level required to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and other East contenders, the Wizards are turning trash talk and physical play from opponents into motivation instead of frustration. That’s a sign of a team with mental toughness.
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