Washington Wizards News: Zards lose to Clippers in their second meeting

The Washington Wizards lost 135-119 to the Los Angeles Clippers, as both teams previously met in Los Angeles as part of the Wizards four-game West Coast trip. In an attempt to exact revenge at the Capital One Arena, the Wizards ultimately could not secure a victory against the powerful Clippers - led by last year's Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

There were obvious but infrequent sparks from the team, though not enough. Officiating proved a big part of the Wizards losing this game, but complaining about questionable calls warrants needless fines. With that in mind, here's analysis from their defeat on Sunday night:

Bertans leads the team in scoring

For once, Bradley Beal did not lead the team in scoring. Tonight it was Davis Bertans, who yet again came off the bench hot. He scored 25 points in the 28 minutes he played, going 7-13 FG, 5-6 FT and 6-12 3PT.

Bertans' production has been impressive in recent games and I don't see why head coach Scott Brooks hasn't yet boosted him into a starter role at SF. Isaac Bonga currently starts in that position, played just 13 minutes and went scoreless (0-3 from the field) for the third time already this term. If the team wants to be more productive and win more games, switching the starting lineup with Bertans could prove pivotal.

Brown comes off the bench hot

It has been a while since we've seen Troy Brown Jr. produce like he did on this occasion. The 20-year-old came off the bench and scored 22 points, which was two more than Beal.

He went 9-12 FG, 2-4 FT and 2-4 from three-point range. It's fair not to expect this type of showing on a regular basis from Troy, as Brooks' irregular rotations don't allow him to fully showcase his potential. However, it was certainly nice to see him record high scoring numbers against one of the league's top sides.

Beal gets shut down by Clippers

As previously mentioned, Beal was held to just 20 points over the course of Sunday's action. This should not be a surprise though, playing against two of the league's best defensive-minded players.

Both Paul George and Leonard made a conscious effort to limit the All-Star wherever possible, though the 26-year-old was persistent with his efforts and continued to work hard even when his shot wasn't falling. He went 5-18 overall, with 1-5 from three-point range but 9-9 FTM too. These aren't alarming statistics though, as he should return to his best scoring form very soon.

What's next?

The Wizards will head to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Tuesday. Tune-in at 7PM ET.