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Wizards lock down Bucks, 99-88

addByline("Zach Rosen", "WashingtonWizards.com", "ZacharySRosen");

Bradley Beal scored 23 points and John Wall returned after missing Sunday's game as six players scored in double figures to lead the Wizards to a 99-88 win in Milwaukee. Beal became the youngest player in NBA history to record 700 3-pointers in the third quarter, making his mark on what already is a storied career with the Wizards. Kelly Oubre Jr. had a Otto Porter Jr. (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Marcin Gortat (10 points, 15 rebounds) added double-doubles to secure the win.

The Wizards built a lead in the opening quarter with a 14-0 run, leading by as many as 10 in the period. Beal had nine of his 23 in the first, while the Wizards forced four Bucks turnovers and held them to five empty possessions at one point during the run. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who struggled overall on the night, had eight points on 3-of-5 in the quarter. After that, the Wizards would shut down Giannis to only 5-of-16 shooting the rest of the way.

The Bucks came rolling back with a 12-2 run in the second quarter. Washington was sloppy with the ball with seven turnovers for nine Bucks points. The Bucks took advantage of the Wizards' lack of ball control. Milwaukee had 18 points in the paint in the second on 9-of-16 shooting down low. Washington defended the paint well besides the second, with 30 points on 15-of-28 shooting around the rim. The Bucks should have built a lead heading into the half, but kept missing easy shots around the rim. The Wizards led by one going into the second half, shooting 50.0% in the first half.

The Wizards found their offensive rhythm again in the third quarter, shooting 55.0%. Beal scored 10 of his 23 in the third, making all four of his shots. Beal's efficiency on the night, 10-of-16 (62.5%), paced the Wizards. The starters scored all 26 points in the third, with Porter, Gortat, and Beal playing all 12 minutes in the period. Antetokounmpo struggled in particular in the third quarter, while the Bucks continue to shoot poorly from beyond the arc. Overall, Milwaukee only made 4-of-22 (18.2%) on 3-pointers and could not buy a triple.

Washington closed it out in the fourth quarter, as the second unit and Porter went on a 13-3 run to open the fourth. The Wizards led by as many as 17 in the fourth, with Oubre scoring 10 of his 18 points. Oubre gave the Wizards a huge lift in the fourth and made 6-of-8 field goals on the night. Washington's bench and Porter closed out the game effectively, with Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks, and Ian Mahinmi joining Porter and Oubre. Wall, Beal, and Gortat would enter to take care of business in the end as well, solidifying the 99-88 victory.

On a back-to-back, the Wizards did a lot of little things to get the win in Milwaukee. It helped to have Wall fresh after he didn't play Sunday, but whole team was playing with great energy. Washington won the rebounding battle 46-33. Eight of those rebounds turned into 15 second chance points, as the Wizards made 7-of-8 second chance opportunities. On the other hand, the Bucks only converted on 1-of-7 opportunities.

It was of course an historic night for Beal, who made his way into the record books as one of the best young shooters of all-time. As aforementioned, Beal became the youngest player in NBA history to record 700 3-pointers. "It’s an amazing accomplishment, I’m proud of it," Beal said after the game.

Wall's return may not have been historic, but it was important to a team that needed to find its offensive flow again. The four-time All-Star been dealing with knee soreness, and Scott Brooks decided it was best to have him only play one of the two games of the Sunday-Monday back-to-backs. Wall, who finished with 15 points and six assists in 31 minutes, said after the game that he felt great on Monday night, and he should be good to go next time out.

The Wizards' three-game road trip will conclude in Charlotte on Wednesday at 7pm.