WASHINGTON -- With only one ball John Wall and Bradley Beal know they have to share it. Bob Rule Jersey .The dynamic backcourt duo is standing squarely in the limelight and need to coexist successfully for the Washington Wizards to get back to the playoffs. Wall is healthy again after having surgery on each knee, and Beal is fresh off signing a $128 million, five-year contract that ranked among the richest in the NBA this offseason.Wall conceded during the summer that he and Beal have a tendency to dislike each other on the court. Its a point of tension but one they say wont create cracks in the Wizards franchise foundation.Were just two competitive people, Wall said recently. Whenever you have your two best players and they both want the game-winning shot and want those type of plays, youre going to have disagreements on the court. But other than that, were fine.Wall and Beal are coming off career highs in points and a low in team success as Washington finished .500 and missed the playoffs after two consecutive postseason appearances. New coach Scott Brooks is in the midst of installing a defense-first mentality and is counting on Wall and Beal to set the tone there.To be leaders defensively, Wall and Beal have to be on the same page. They say they are, even if sometimes they argue like brothers.We both realize that thats whats important here: us winning games, us being leaders of a team and us growing as a backcourt together, Beal said. Im going to be here another five years; hes going to be here for hopefully the rest of his career, as well. We have a great system, a great team, our chemistrys great. Me and John are fine, and were going to be in the rankings of the best backcourts.The Wizards dont usually make those rankings, and being overlooked is something that motivates Wall and Beal. Brooks, who doesnt mind healthy disagreements and believes they are a sign of a strong team, wants his top players to be fueled by slights but not distracted by them.You still want to play with a chip on your shoulder, Brooks said Tuesday. Every team has talent and every team has a lot of skilled players, but when you have a guy like Brad and John, you want that. You want that in them. Thats what gets them going.Wall and Beal push each other as much as anything, even if that can cause friction. Wall just wants to downplay the effect that friction has on the Wizards success.With Brad, people want to put words in your mouth and make it seem like its worse than what it was, he said. Nah. We all knew Brad was going to get paid a certain contract and he deserves it. All I said is the same thing I did -- when I got paid, everybody said oh I didnt deserve it. We just got to go and prove it.I think when hes healthy, hes proven that he can play in this league. He can be an all-star, he can be one of the best two-way players.Wall will get eased into another prove-it season and expects to play around 32 minutes in the Wizards opener Thursday at the Atlanta Hawks. With Brooks wanting to keep Walls minutes in the low-30 range, hed also like the 23-year-old Beal to take over some more of the ball-distribution responsibilities and create for teammates as much as he looks for his own shot.We have a lot of players that can make plays, Brooks said. I think Brad has really improved in that area. Thats one of the things Ive challenged him when I first took over the job in May is to be a better playmaker. I think he can be one of the best two-way off guards in the league. That growth has to happen. Oklahoma City Thunder Shirts . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Paul Westphal Jersey . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. https://www.cheapthunder.com/841h-nick-c...ey-thunder.html . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Paul Okon reckons Brisbane Roar are a complete team and has warned his Central Coast Mariners not to stumble into their trap in Sundays A-League encounter in Gosford.Okon hailed the Roar as the competitions best team at forcing opposition turnovers, putting his troops on high alert as they aim to snap out of a disappointing two-game losing run.Renowned for their previous success with a high-possession style, Brisbane coach John Aloisis tweaked gameplan means theyve been happy to give up control of the ball on occasion this season, backing their ability to win the ball back in good areas to generate attacking chances instead.Melbourne City coach John van t Schip criticised the Roar earlier this month for parking the bus but Okon sees it differently.Theyre a complete team. Theyre very good when they have the ball and when they dont. I just think the Roar defend very well from the front, Okon told AAP.It may look like a transition because they win the ball higher up the field and then, bang - I dont think its a typical (counter-attacking style), drop off at halfway, win the ball in your own half.The Roars probably the best team in the competition at defending higher up the field.Unbeaten in their last five and coming off a 4-0 rout over Adelaide United, the Roar won 1-0 earlier this season to extend a six-game winning streak over the Mariners.Aloisi was adamant his team didnt discuss streaks but acknowledged their last loss - a round-two 4-0 thumping by Newcastle - was a turning point that showed the Roars strong chharacter. Darius Bazley Jersey. .For that reason he said complacency would never again be an issue, especially against a Mariners side keen to rebound from two heavy losses to Wellington and Western Sydney.Theyre playing at home and theyll want to win for their supporters, Aloisi said.Theyve got dangerous players going forward, and they like to keep the ball and tire you out.Okon is desperate for revenge over Aloisi, his former Socceroo teammate and good friend.The pairs playing careers followed similar trajectories - both left Australia at a young age for Belgium, played in Italy and England, featured regularly for the Socceroos throughout the 1990s and enjoyed swansongs in the A-League.I roomed a few times with Johnny, played against him in Belgium. Weve known each other since we were young teenagers, and Ross also, Okon said.Theres a big respect there. Theres always a laugh, thats how its always been - although I know Johnnys very intense and serious these days, now hes a coach.You always want to beat a mate of yours.STATS THAT MATTER* Central Coast have made more passes than any other team and boast the second-best passing accuracy (80.3%) behind Melbourne City (80.5%)* Brisbane have conceded just two first-half goals overall, the fewest of any team, while no team has conceded more than the Mariners (11)* The Roar kept a clean sheet in each of their last three visits to Central Coast Stadium ' ' '