Houston Rockets G Patrick Beverley is known around the NBA for being a dogged defender. His skill set was on full display on Friday night, where Beverley shut down Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook on a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
It all started early in the matchup, when Beverley -- notorious for getting under the skin of both Westbrook and other NBA opponents -- flopped with some serious gusto just 36 seconds into the first quarter.
Via Twitter:
WELP. Patrick Beverley is getting an early start at annoying Russell Westbrook.
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) December 10, 2016
(via @clippittv)pic.twitter.com/DYufNBqsdR
The game continued like this, but the real highlight of Beverley’s defensive night was stopping Westbrook -- who dropped his 7th straight triple-double -- on an isolation play with six seconds left in the fourth quarter.
With the ball on the left garden spot, Westbrook gave a couple of dribble hesitation moves to Beverley, then tried to rise up for the go-ahead bucket.
Beverley was right up on him, and forced an airball from Westbrook:
The tight defense from Patrick Beverley leads to a late Russell Westbrook airball.
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) December 10, 2016
(via @clippittv)pic.twitter.com/ACfjvwsUKt
The Rockets guard was so happy about the stop and the eventual win that he celebrated a little too enthusiastically with Houston coach Mike D’Antoni.
Going for a chest bump, Beverley wound up blasting through his own coach:
Rockets' Patrick Beverley chest-bumps coach Mike D'Antoni into oblivion while celebrating win over Thunder pic.twitter.com/8X0F2LmLpM
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) December 10, 2016
My bad coach. My bad lol https://t.co/PyFk711jhW
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) December 10, 2016