Bradley Beal knows all of Jayson Tatum's tricks, but he was still helpless to stop the Boston Celtics star Tuesday night.
Tatum went off for a game-high 50 points on 14-of-32 shooting (17-of-17 from the free-throw line) to carry Boston to a 118-100 win over Beal's Washington Wizards in the NBA play-in tournament that clinched the No. 7 playoff spot for the C's.
Tatum and Beal go way back: They both grew up in St. Louis and attended the same high school, Chaminade Prep. Beal, who is four years older than Tatum, actually babysat Tatum from a young age, as Beal's mother coached Tatum's mother in high school volleyball when Tatum was a baby.
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Tatum makes statement with dominant performance vs. Wizards
The two have remained close throughout their journeys to NBA stardom. After going off for 50 points against his close friend Tuesday night, Tatum admitted his bond with Beal motivated him to deliver.
"I didn't want to lose to Brad," Tatum said in his postgame interview with TNT. "I would have had to hear that for the rest of my career."
Meanwhile, Beal was effusive in his praise of Tatum's masterful performance, noting that the kid he used to mentor has grown up to be unstoppable.
"He was excited about the game. He was up. And it didn't matter who was in front of him," Beal told reporters. "That's something that I've been trying to tell his ass for years.
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"It's tough when you guard him. I mean, he's 6'9". He can get his shot off, he's strong, and he can shoot the ball. He's a three-level scorer. So, you've got to respect everything he can do on the floor.
"I just tried to make it difficult for him, be physical. I know a lot of his moves, so a lot of it, I was there, but I'm only 6'3". So, I wish I was 6'9" with robotic arms, but he's a special talent, man. I've been saying that since he was in diapers."
In this case, Beal means that last line literally.
There's been speculation about Beal teaming up with Tatum if he ever leaves the Wizards, and the 23-year-old Tatum admitted he was thrilled when the two were on the same All-Star team this year. Beal to Boston might be a long shot for now, but his connection with Tatum remains as strong as ever.