It has been almost 10 years since Patrick Beverley et Russell Westbrook hate each other cordially and make no secret of it. It all started in April 2013, when a very aggressive defense from Beverley, then in Houston, resulted in a knee injury to Westbrook, hit in the meniscus. At each of their reunions or almost thereafter, there was a spat and declarations in the media to reaffirm this mutual aversion.
The most recent and significant dates from 2019, when Westbrook teasingly said of his “rival”:
“Guys, Patrick Beverley makes you think he’s defending. But he’s not defending against anyone. He’s just running around, nothing else. You saw what happened tonight: 47 points (the perf by James Harden, editor’s note). All that, to take 47 points”Westbrook had explained, all smiles, at the microphone of Fox 26.
Earlier, in 2017, during a series of the 1st round of the playoffs, Beverley had narrated a very animated interaction which had taken place in game 5 won by the Rockets despite the 47 points of Russell Westbrook.
Patrick Beverley and Westbrook going at it! ????????????????pic.twitter.com/3jb0AZytYH
— Leading NBA ™ (@LeadingNBA_) April 26, 2017
“Russell looked up during the game and said, ‘Nobody can defend on me, I scored 40 points’. I was like, ‘That’s cool, but it took you 34 shots to get there’. Men and women lie, not numbers”.
Patrick Beverley: “[Russ] looked up and said, ‘No one can guard me, I got 40 points.’ I’m like, that’s nice, you took 34 shots to get it.” pic.twitter.com/htl10439gl
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 26, 2017
Invited to comment on his opponent’s statements, the 2017 MVP played the disdain card.
“He told me he was in the top five defensive in the league or something. I had already scored 42 points so I don’t know what the shit he was dreaming about…”
Russ fires back at Beverley: “He was talking about he’s first team All-Defense…maybe he was dreaming” pic.twitter.com/DJ5ch8hE1S
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) April 26, 2017
We are waiting to see if the two men will really start the season in the same workforce, but given the Lakers’ difficulties in finding a taker for Russell Westbrook, the probability is significant. And there, there may be some sparks. It has already happened that guys who didn’t necessarily have a good relationship found themselves teammates. Often there was still a certain respect despite the detestation. Here, it is very difficult to imagine Westbrook respecting Beverley. We would not be close to a surprise in the NBA, but the challenge is daunting.
russell westbrook and patrick beverley during laker games next season pic.twitter.com/Ep74Y0zWbe
— buckets (@buckets) August 25, 2022
