Ryan Snellings: Patrick Beverley
Call me old fashioned, but I can’t wait to see some gritty, hard-nosed defense. Who better to provide that for the LA Clippers then Patrick Beverley?
Coming off a nice new contract, Beverley has nothing to worry about except for winning. He also is the starting point guard now that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has moved on to Oklahoma City. Many are knocking the team for not having any playmakers, but I’m really excited to see Beverley partly take on that role.
Last season, he only averaged 3.8 assists. This number should increase as the season progresses, especially once Paul George returns. No, he probably won’t move up to double-digits, but it will be interesting to see him run the offense.
While that will be exciting, it really is the defensive end that I’m pumped up for. With Leonard and George supporting him on the wings, it’s no secret that the Clippers will be one of the best defensive teams in the league.
The most interesting part will be Beverley hounding opposing point guards and at times, maybe the opponent’s third-worst wing player. This is when I’ll be most fired up. Think about Beverley locking down a lesser player. I’m already giddy.
Bev is the heart and soul of this team. He’s going to leave it all on the court every single day as this team tries to push for a championship. I cannot wait to watch that.