“Both Remind Me of Myself”: NBA Hall Of Famer Has Special Words of Appreciation for Patrick Beverley and Marcus Smart

The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the best defensive teams in the league. They are tenacious on the defensive side of the court and play the game with a certain flair. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are, without question, the leaders of the team. But when it comes to defense, there is hardly anyone who can ignore the presence of Patrick Beverley. Despite not putting monster numbers on the offense, Beverley makes it up with an unmatched effort on defense.

Beverley has not been in action since August 4 due to a left calf strain he picked up against the Suns. As a result, the Clippers are missing one of their top defenders in the first round of the Playoffs. Beverley is still questionable for the Game 6 against the Mavericks.

How good is Clippers guard Patrick Beverley on defense?

In an interview with HoopsHype, NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton was asked if any current NBA player reminds him of himself. Payton answered:

“There are two: Marcus Smart and Patrick Beverley. They both remind me of myself. They’ll go at you. Beverley is a little bit different because he doesn’t have the offensive game that I had. But Marcus is starting to become that kind of player – he’s starting to score and shoot the ball. But both of them are dogs on the defensive end.

“When you have them type of guys who can play defense that type of way, it’s always a bonus for their team. When you have a guy who can lock down like that, he’s always giving you great stuff on that end. But can they give you something on the other end,” added Payton.

It is true that Beverley lacks in his offensive game, but he knows his job. When a team has two superstars handling the ball, it is natural to divert focus from the offensive side.

On the other hand, Marcus Smart is improving his shooting prowess with each passing day in the league.

It will be a joy to watch these two defensive beasts go head to head in the Playoffs. And there is only one stage where this can happen: The 2020 NBA finals.