HOUSTON -- Notorious pest Patrick Beverley's reputation as an elite defender isn't accurate, according to Russell Westbrook, who cited James Harden's 47-point performance in the Houston Rockets' 102-93 win Wednesday over the LA Clippers as proof.
"Pat Bev trick y'all, man, like he playing defense," Westbrook said. "He don't guard nobody, man. It's just running around, doing nothing. ... All that commotion to get 47."
Westbrook and Beverley have a long-running feud, dating to the Houston-Oklahoma City series in the first round of the 2013 playoffs. Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee that required multiple surgeries when Beverley, then Harden's backcourt mate for the Rockets, collided with Westbrook a split-second after the Thunder called a timeout in Game 2 of the series.