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Prior to the beginning of the NBA Playoffs, we all knew that Bradley Beal was a star in the making, but he wasn’t getting nearly the amount of recognition he deserved for his growth from his rookie season. Beal, who’s drastically improved his ball handling and ability to create for his teammates, has knocked down clutch shot after clutch shot during the regular season, displaying confidence that is rarely shown in second year players.

Beal has emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars, but unlike his peers, he’s doing it on one of the biggest stages the NBA has to offer. After helping lead Washington to a series victory over the Chicago Bulls in the first round, Beal would have to step up yet again against a premier defensive team, the Indiana Pacers. Needless to say, he was ready for the challenge.

Washington got another Game 1 road win at Indiana last night, but they couldn’t have done it without Bradley Beal, who scored 25 points to go along side 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. In the past, the Wizards had guards who were capable of putting the ball through the hoop (Jordan Crawford…Nick Young), but none were quite as explosive and versatile as Beal, who gets it done on both sides of the floor.

If Beal continues to play like he did in Game 1, I have no doubt that the Wizards will have a great shot at winning the series. John Wall has done a terrific job at finding Beal, and both players have done a spectacular job at creating for the supporting cast. Not only was Beal knocking down shots from the perimeter, but his penetration created looks for Marcin Gortat and Nene coming off the pick and roll, giving Washington another dimension to their offense.

Washington will be back at it on Tuesday night. Look for Beal to have another big night, especially if he gets the shots he was getting in Game 1.