Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans Talk Russell Westbrook's Impact in Wizards Debut

Russell Westbrook's first game as a member of the Washington Wizards was met with acclaim from his new teammates.

Speaking after Saturday's 99-96 win over the Detroit Pistons, Davis Bertans told reporters that Westbrook's presence created easier looks at the basket.

"You could see in the first half really how many open shots we got," he said. "And how many good looks we had and it was all I would say Russ."

Bradley Beal noted it "felt great" to have Westbrook out there with the rest of the team:

"It was great energy... I don't think it will be tough as people are trying to make it out to be. We both do a really good job off of feeding off of each other, just adjusting to how each other plays.

"The most important thing is his pace and energy he brings to the table... it just works out well. We just continue to play off each other, feed off each other and push each other."

Saturday marked the first time Washington had Westbrook, Bertans and Beal on the court together. The 2016-17 NBA MVP was acquired from the Houston Rockets in exchange for John Wall and a lottery-protected 2023 draft pick.

Westbrook will take over as the Wizards primary point guard. He gave the team a brief glimpse of what to expect in the 17 minutes he played against the Pistons. The 32-year-old finished with eight points, seven rebounds and three assists before head coach Scott Brooks pulled him.

The Wizards will be counting on Westbrook's playmaking and scoring ability to lift them into playoff contention this season. The nine-time All-Star averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game last year with the Rockets.

Beal established himself as one of the NBA's best scorers last season with a career-high 30.5 points per game. Bertans is an elite shooter who has made more than 42 percent of his three-point attempts in each of the past two seasons.

As long as Westbrook, Beal and Bertans are healthy, the Wizards should boast one of the league's best offenses in 2020-21. They will open the year Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.