“Naw Skip I have a good feeling about this” - Patrick Beverley responds to Skip Bayless after he claims 9x All-Star will cause problems for LA Lakers
Patrick Beverley has responded to Skip Bayless' recent comments about Russell Westbrook potentially causing trouble for the LA Lakers this season.
Bayless recently took to Twitter to express his thoughts on Beverley and Westbrook co-existing on the court. The Fox Sports analyst believes 'Pat Bev' will do everything needed to work things out, but the same cannot be said about Westbrook.
He indicated that Russ could have issues with Beverley taking up his minutes on the court and tweeted:
"PatBev will do everything in his professional power to make it work with Russ. But - despite the show Westbrook put on today as PatBev was introduced to the media - he will once again PB's worst enemy if PB starts taking Russ' minutes. Russ is about Russ, not winning."
PatBev will do everything in his professional power to make it work with Russ. But - despite the show Westbrook put on today as PatBev was introduced to the media - he will once again PB's worst enemy if PB starts taking Russ' minutes. Russ is about Russ, not winning.
Patrick Beverley defended Russell Westbrook and responded to Bayless by saying:
"Naw Skip I have a good feeling about this."
Beverley seems highly motivated to play alongside the LA Lakers superstar trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook. Concerns have been raised over his equation with Westbrook. However, the two presented a united front during Beverley's introductory press conference as a Lakers player.
Russ tossed Pat Bev a towel, “first dime of the year:” 😂
(via @NotoriousOHM)
https://t.co/mJsunHhx8S
Westbrook attended the conference along with head coach Darvin Ham. He was spotted dapping up Patrick Beverley and even tossed a towel to the former LA Clippers guard.
The LA Lakers' social media pages also posted a picture of the two rivals enjoying each other's company during a practice session, sending fans into a frenzy.
Russ and Pat Bev are all smiles 😁
(via @Lakers) https://t.co/i9hHIelGvE
Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley remain a questionable fit on the court with the LA Lakers
When the LA Lakers first acquired Patrick Beverley, the notion around the league was that Russell Westbrook's departure was imminent. The two have had a tense equation as opponents in the past. It dates back to when Beverley was with the Houston Rockets and Westbrook was with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, if the viral videos from Beverley's press conference are anything to go by, they seem to have put their differences aside. While that is good news for the Lakers, his fit on the court alongside Beverley remains questionable.
Pat Bev and Russ https://t.co/iSC5eZukvd
Westbrook has been one of the worst shooters from long distance over the last few years. Patrick Beverley is coming off a career-worst 3-point shooting season. He made just 34.3% of his shots from deep last season, three percent less than he has averaged throughout his career.
Meanwhile, the rest of the players aren't as efficient from beyond the arc either. Anthony Davis has struggled from deep and made only 18.6% of his shots from the arc last season. His 3-point shooting has regressed over the last two seasons.
LeBron James, meanwhile, is an average 3-point shooter. He converted 34.5% of his shots from deep on a whopping eight attempts per contest last season.
Coach Darvin Ham says @patbev21 brings "competitiveness, togetherness, and accountability" to the locker room.
#Lakers https://t.co/7zZq7ppNwD
It will be interesting to see how Darvin Ham approaches his first season as head coach of the LA Lakers. The roster has been given is evidently not as well-rounded, making it an uphill task for him to lead this team to a deep playoff push.
Nevertheless, if the team's stars make the sacrifices needed for things to work, the Lakers could do better than many expect them to in the upcoming season.