During an appearance on the season finale of Gil’s Arena, Patrick Beverley was asked about the trash-talking persona he consistently displays in the NBA. Responding to the question that many have been looking for an answer to, Beverley brought up a recent incident with none other than Damian Lillard and his playoff performances. Delving deeper, he traced the roots of his trash-talking origins to Lillard’s rookie season.
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The rivalry between Damian Lillard and Patrick Beverley dates back to 2013. This was also Beverley’s first full NBA season. Lillard was immediately drafted as the starting point guard for the Trail Blazers. Beverley was another point guard in the Western Conference. Clashes between the two were bound to happen. Beverley’s attitude and tenacity against Lillard’s skill and production created a long-lasting rivalry.
Patrick Beverley and his trash-talking ways
Most NBA fans might believe that Beverley was born as a trash-talking prodigy. However, it was anything but! Beverley’s first foray into the world of trash-talking dates back to his early interactions in the league.
“It’s funny cuz I’ll be having my f*** walk up to me walk right past me. You know before the game when you going to shoot or whatever you put warming up. I have my f*** walk right past me but then in the game they’d be wanting to fight me. It’d be the craziest thing in the world so I really can’t really take it that serious.”
Describing the origins of his rivalry with Lillard, Beverley revealed:
“This competition between me (Pat Bev) and Dame is going on since I was a rookie, they say he can shoot from half-court, I need to see it.”
He also narrated how he used to view matchups with Lillard later in his career:
“So you know, we play Portland (Trailblazers), Lakers (Bev was in the Lakers last season), Dame right there hoodie on, chopping it up, you know, I dont give a f**k of what hoopers say, and you walk past right me and i wont worry, but in the game, imma beat your ass!”
The rivalry dates back to Dame’s rookie year. However, the boiling point came during the playoffs of the 2013-14 season, when Lillard announced his star power by eliminating the Houston Rockets in 6 six-game playoff series on a buzzer-beater in the Western Conference matchup. The Rockets included James Harden and Dwight Howard alongside Patrick Bev. Lillard owned Beverly in the six-game playoff series, averaging 25.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from the field, including 49 percent from three-point range.
When Beverley mocked Lillard’s signature celebration
In an incident during a regular season matchup against Portland Trailblazers, Pat Bev was with the Los Angeles Lakers, who were trailing by almost 23 points. However, the Lakers overturned this deficit against Dame’s Trailblazers, and Beverley then appeared to mock Lillard’s signature “Dame Time” celebration.
Check out the video below:
In a rivalry that has lasted almost a decade, Patrick Beverley and Damian Lillard have never failed to entertain.
