Washington, May 16 (EFE) .- Guard Bradley Beal returned after missing three games and together with point guard Russell Westbrook, who contributed his 184 triple-double as a professional, led the attack of the Washington Wizards that beat the Wizards 115-110 Charlotte Hornets and secured eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The Wizards will play the Eastern Conference playoff play-in game on the road next Tuesday against the Boston Celtics, who lost 96-92 to the New York Knicks this Sunday and finished in seventh place.
While the Hornets, tenth, will have to travel to Indianapolis, where they will face the Indiana Pacers, who finished ninth after beating the Toronto Raptors 113-125 at home this Sunday.
The winner of the game between the Celtics and Wizards will qualify for the playoffs as seventh and the loser will face the winner of the game between the Pacers and Hornets to decide the eighth and final place.
Beal scored 25 points, including 20 in the second half, while Westbrook, who was supported by Wizards fans with chants of “MVP!”, Had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the 184th triple-double. of his career.
Three more than the previous NBA record held by the legendary Oscar Robertson for more than 40 years, and 38 this season alone, the league’s all-time best.
Beal came back after missing three straight games with a left hamstring strain, and while he didn’t always appear to be in his prime, he was a big part of this win, including two free throws to secure it with 9.6 seconds left after that. point guard Devonte Graham missed a 3-point attempt with Charlotte.
The Wizards’ star guard, with an average of 31.4 points per game, finished the regular season as the second highest scorer in the league, only surpassed by guard Stephen Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, who reached the last game with average of 31.8 points.
Brazilian reserve guard Raúl Neto missed the second straight game with the Wizards with tightness in his left hamstring.
Guard Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 22 points, which did not prevent the fifth consecutive loss suffered by the team owned by the legendary Michael Jordan.
(c) EFE Agency