Justin Cooper

December 3, 2018

As our name suggests, Sound of Thunder is dedicated to covering all things Thunder and Thunder related; so, although it doesn’t directly pertain to the Thunder per se, we would be remiss not to report on Thunder Nation’s public enemy number one, Patrick Beverley, and his most recent incident on Sunday night versus the Mavs.  With 3:16 remaining in the third and Dallas up 79-73, Mav’s second year man, Dennis Smith Jr., lost control of the ball driving against Beverley.  Smith dove to the floor to recover the ball and Beverley immediately followed.  During the scramble, Beverly caught Smith in the mouth with his elbow, sending the better part of his right front tooth flying out of his mouth.  No foul was called on the play, leaving Rick Carlisle and the rest of the Mav’s bench understandably miffed, a fact not lost on Beverley as he approached the Dallas bench directly following the tussle to offer up a flimsy apology,  saying, “My bad,” and receiving an unsurprisingly frosty response from Smith’s teammates.  Beverley was indignant. 

Thunder fans are all too familiar with Patrick Beverley, and won’t soon forget his reckless dive at Russell Westbrook’s knee and the subsequent torn meniscus that ended his season in game 2 of the 2012-2013 NBA playoffs.  The Thunder went on to win the series, only to be dispensed by the Grizzlies in 5 games in the second round.  Most experts around the league believe that, had Westbrook not gone down in that series, 2013 was the Thunder’s best shot to bring home a championship since the franchise moved from Seattle in 2008.  Of course, we all know how this story ends, what could have been never was, and Thunder fans will always be left wondering, “what if?”. 

While “close” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, “what ifs” are similarly regarded in the world of sports; however, it cannot be understated that Patrick Beverley made an indelible mark on the 2012-2013 playoffs and potentially altered the future of an entire franchise.  If this were an isolated incident, it would largely have been forgotten leaguewide, but Beverley has put in the work necessary to deserve the nasty reputation he’s earned.  He is a menace and a villain in most NBA arenas he visits.  Ask Damian Lillard or Tony Parker their opinion of Patrick Beverley and don’t be surprised when the response is icy.  It’s no secret, Beverley has made a habit of making and keeping enemies in the NBA. 

Back on October 31, when the Thunder faced the Clippers for the second time of the 2018-2019 season, Patrick Beverley threw his body into Russell Westbrook’s legs, again, in a play that looked eerily similar to the plunge that ended Westbrook’s 2013 season.  After the play, police were used to keep Westbrook, Beverley, and their respective sides separated in the heated exchange that would ensue.  For all his defensive prowess, it is unsavory elements like these that Beverley brings to the floor every game.  One must wonder how much longer the league will wait before taking substantive action against one of its dirtiest players.

To reporters, Beverley has often lamented about officiating as it pertains to his play, believing his reputation results in his being whistled for violations unfairly.  On Sunday night, he got the benefit of the doubt when officials deemed the play, in which Dennis Smith Jr. had his tooth extracted, a jump ball.  The replay appears to show two players hustling for a loose ball, inadvertent contact, and an almost genuine concern from Patrick Beverley when noticing he’d knocked out Smith’s tooth.  Six minutes later, a frustrated Beverley was ejected from the game for throwing the ball at a fan.  This sequence exemplifies Patrick Beverley.  While he may never face any substantive consequences from the league for his conduct throughout his career, Patrick Beverley should understand unaccepted apologies from his peers who risk unnecessary personal injury simply playing against him. 

 

Oklahoma City will face the Clippers for the third time this season at home on December 15.  The Thunder hit the road to take on the Pistons tonight at 6:00PM.  You can catch the game on Fox Sports Oklahoma, NBATV, or Fox Sports Detroit.