‘Knock them Out of the Playoffs’
New team, same Patrick Beverley.
He is plotting revenge on the Chicago Bulls, less than two weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers traded him. In an episode of his “Pat Bev Pod,” Beverley made it a point to mention that the Bulls will play the Lakers twice more in this season’s edition.
When asked how he felt about playing for his old team, he was honest.
“What will the emotions be like when you enter that? What’s your mind thinking?
“Knock them from the playoffs.”
Patrick Beverley is proof that there is no love lost.
Beverley was only able to play for the Lakers half of a season. He faced the Clippers for which he had played four seasons and was eliminated the season after being traded. he trash-talked them so hard he got fined by the NBA two days later. This man is not one to take slights lightly, whether they are real or perceived.
Lakers are 2 games away from the NBA play-in spot
Beverley won’t likely be able to eliminate the Lakers directly as they still have six games left after facing his Bulls in consecutive Mar. 26 and 29 respectively, but they will almost certainly be able to win a few games.
The Lakers currently rank 13th in the Western Conference, at 27-32. The Lakers are currently two games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (10th) for the final play in spot. Between them, the Utah Jazz (and the Portland Trail Blazers (12th each) are also on the table. They are 3.5 behind the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks in terms of a playoff spot.
The trade that sent Beverley to the Orland Magic Mo Bamba was not the only move that the Lakers wanted to make to turn around their sour season. In addition to Bamba, they also acquired the likes of Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley while parting with Beverley, Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones.
They are 2-1 in their early returns since February 9, with LeBron James as their only loss. However, they have a lot of ground to make up.
Beverley ultimately landed with his hometown Bulls after agreeing to a buyout with the Magic.