Knowing the likelihood of him being offered a slight uptick in offensive opportunities with his four-time scoring champion teammate sidelined, Bradley Beal found that, given the Utah Jazz’s lax approach, one might as well do some taking, too. Among his generation’s greatest at creating separation, the Phoenix Suns’ All-Star sets off into a goal of doing so on the scoreboard, first by calmly drifting into uncovered land for a 25-foot triple, extending the lead to double-digits. Keeping his antennas raised defensively, Beal turns his trademark offensive excellence into a sequence, capturing a steal on Isaiah Collier’s venturesome pass before burying a quick-trigger midrange bucket just seconds into the new possession. Key in guiding Phoenix’s win, Beal’s control-steering stretch — five points and a steal over a 20-second span — allowed the luxury of keeping Utah at arm’s length thereafter. All told, Beal’s box score brilliance concluded with 24 points (on 8-of-15 shooting), three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and four 3-pointers. · Nov 13, 2024