It’s difficult to put into words just how integral both Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell are to the Los Angeles Clippers, from both a winning and a cultural standpoint
The words hustle, grit and toughness are often thrown around – but not many embody such sentiments in the way that both Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell do for the Los Angeles Clippers.
It’s why the LA Clippers – despite a stacked Western Conference – find themselves as the 6 seed. They’re 13 games above .500 at 43-30, and have already achieved the over on Westgate‘s preseason over/under odds (37.5) with 9 games to go.
What Beverley and Harrell bring to the table – particularly the former – has been on full display during the Clippers’ last 10 games, in which the ball club has gone 9-1.
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The impact of the pair was perhaps at it’s most notable early on in this 10 game stretch. Let’s rewind to early March – as the Clippers faced the Lakers at a packed Staples Center on the purple and gold’s homecourt.
Coming off a bevy of untimely losses against weak opposition, it was all but a must-win for Luke Walton‘s ball club. They could really make a statement by beating their intercity rivals and potentially turn their season around.
Arise, Sir Patrick Beverley.
He stole the opening JaVale McGee tip and flew in for the lay-up, mere seconds into the game. The writing was on the wall.
The Arkansas alum put up 13 points, nine boards, four assists and five steals in a 113-105 Clippers victory. Beverley shot 4-8 from the field, 3-6 from 3-point range and 2-2 from the stripe.
While his stat line wasn’t particularly elite (although impressive), Beverley’s tenacity, energy, and hustle all night long set the tone. He wanted it more than anyone else on the court.
Beverley guarded LeBron James from the start, although switches meant the 6-foot-1 guard didn’t see too much of James after the opening quarter. While guarding the 6-foot-8 James, Beverley managed two steals, and James operated largely in ‘pass-first mode’, struggling to comfortably get shots off thanks to Beverley’s peskiness.
On the other end, it was Montrezl Harrell wreaking havoc.
It was just another day at the office for ‘Trezz’, who posted 14/11/5 off the bench. But like Beverley, he brought much more to the table than his stat line suggested.
Attacking the rim with reckless abandon, contesting shots at the rim, relentlessly crashing the defensive glass. I mean, you name it. You’ll see Harrell doing it on a nightly basis.
It’s part of the reason why the 6-foot-8 center has a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year case.
In 26.5 minutes a night, Harrell’s putting up 16.5 points, 6.7 boards, and 1.4 blocks, while shooting an efficient 61 percent from the field. It’s likely his own teammate in Lou Williams will snatch the award away from him, but that shouldn’t take away from the spectacular season Harrell’s having in his own right.
With cap space aplenty and a unique culture developing in the City of Angels, the retention of Harrell and Beverley is of utmost importance for Steve Ballmer and co. The pair embody what it now means to be a Los Angeles Clipper, and the prospect of the duo alongside a max free agent or two should have the Clipper faithful extremely optimistic.