Luka Doncic is a once-in-a-generation type of NBA player. He’s an absolute matchup nightmare, and was a nightmare for Patrick Beverley to defend in the playoffs. That’s why Beverley had to give him some props when asked.
“Easy, so far it’s been Luka,” Patrick Beverley said when asked about who was the toughest player to guard in the NBA.
Patrick Beverley has seen his fair share of superstar NBA players – James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant. None have played him off the floor the way Luka Doncic did in the playoffs. When the two faced off in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Beverley had to be removed from the lineup in the first round because of Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar matchup hounded Beverley on every possession and scored at will. Luka Doncic was 19/36 from the field when Patrick Beverley was on the floor, and 22/58 when Beverley was off. The two shared the floor for 46 minutes and Dallas was +25 in those minutes.
Make no mistake, Patrick Beverley is a premier NBA defender. He did a fantastic job bottling up both Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker in the playoffs, but Luka Doncic was one beast he just couldn’t contain. A 6′ 7″ point guard that’s just too crafty for a 6′ 1″ guard. Nonetheless, Beverley remains committed to getting his payback.
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