Why sparks will fly between Luka Doncic and Bradley Beal as Mavericks face Wizards

The Dallas Mavericks host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, and both teams are hungry for a victory. Luka Doncic and the Mavs have lost six of their last eight games, and the Wizards sit six games under .500, despite their two-game winning streak. There was some hype about Kristaps Porzingis coming back to Dallas to face the Mavericks, but he suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out. Wizards three-time All-Star Bradley Beal is healthy, and that means fireworks.

Doncic is always amped up to face Beal, and the two have gotten into it in the past. There was the infamous 2019-2020 season opener when the Wizards superstar was ejected in the final minutes after a back-and-forth with number 77. Luka and Beal both love to compete, and it always results in must-see entertainment.

Doncic is 4-4 against the Wizards in his career, but he is 3-2 versus Beal and those have been his biggest nights against Washington. Beal always fires back too. Here is a look back at their previous history before diving into what to expect on Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center.

Why sparks will fly between Luka Doncic and Bradley Beal as Mavericks face Wizards

In five career games against Beal, Luka averages 30.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.6 assists, and 1.4 steals, including scoring 30-plus in four straight. Not to be outdone, the Wizards superstar averages 24.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.6 steals in those meetings. Doncic set his career-high with 20 assists in their May 2021 meeting, and he will be looking to make more history on Tuesday evening.

The two have not played against each other since November 2021 as Beal has missed the last two meetings against Doncic. He had season-ending wrist surgery that kept him out of their April 2022 matchup, and the 6’5 wing was in the health and safety protocols when the Wizards pulled the upset earlier this season back in DC.

Doncic will be revved up on Tuesday night. The Dallas Mavericks are fresh off a disappointing loss to the LA Clippers, and Luka will want to get the bad taste out of his mouth. Matching up against Bradley Beal means plenty of trash talk and fully locked in number 77 as the Mavs attempt to salvage a split of their current four-game homestand.

Expect both Luka Doncic and Bradley Beal to go for 30-plus points on Tuesday night, and it will come down to which team can get more stops. The Wizards are 8-16 on the road this season, and they are fresh off trading way Rui Hachimura. Can Beal and Kyle Kuzma help Washington make it four-straight wins against the Mavericks on Jan. 24? Tune in to find out, and enjoy the superstar battle.