After just getting him back from injury, the LA Clippers will again be without Patrick Beverley for an undetermined amount of time. This time, our starting point guard is on the comeback trail from surgery on his hand, which he broke in the Clippers’ win against the Suns.
The LA Clippers were really counting on having Bev available as they made a push for the 2 seed and then a deep playoffs run, but now that’s up in the air. Beverley is supposed to be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks, so fans of the Clips are hoping to have him back once the postseason starts. Still, in the meantime, we have to wonder:
Who are we counting on the most to step up for the LA Clippers while Patrick Beverley rehabs his broken hand?
Of course, the short answer is: everyone. It’s going to be a group effort to replace what Bev brings to the table, but the burden will fall more on some guys than others. We can hardly ask Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to contribute even more than they already are; one of the role players has to try to fill the role that Patrick Beverley filled for the LA Clippers.
My argument is that it can’t be Reggie Jackson or Luke Kennard. Those guys are good, and Reggie has been especially great this season, but they don’t fill that same niche. There are a lot of great shooters on this team, and Bev’s shooting isn’t what really made him the perfect piece next to the stars.
What made Patrick Beverley special was his defense and his energy. No matter what the situation was – the LA Clippers could be up 20, tied, or down 20 – Pat Bev was playing at 110%. No plays off. There’s one guy coming off the bench that, I think, could fit that mold at an acceptable level.
Terance Mann. He’s already known to be Beverley’s mentee on the LA Clippers, and he plays with an intensity that’s reminiscent of Patrick Beverley. Mann attacks the rim and gives the Clippers offense a different dimension than the other role players.
The silver lining of Patrick Beverley missing more time could be that Terance Mann keeps taking steps forward. All of the players on the LA Clippers need to step up to keep playing at a high level without the soul of the team, but the Clippers need Terance Mann to step up and give the Clips some of the same oomph that Bev gives them.