Patrick Beverley Claims He ‘Flopped’ After Being Hit By 2017 Steven Adams Screen

Steven Adams famously sent Patrick Beverley to the ground unceremoniously with a screen in the 2017 NBA playoffs.

Patrick Beverley Claims He ‘Flopped’ After Being Hit By 2017 Steven Adams Screen

Steven Adams, Patrick Beverley (FS Image)

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Many OKC Thunder fans have had a score to settle with Patrick Beverley since 2013. After all, the former All-Defensive Team member may have permanently altered the career path of Russell Westbrook in a clash during the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. Both Beverley and Westbrook dove for a loose ball, but the 2016-17 NBA MVP came out worse. Russ had to have his meniscus operated after the tear he suffered.

Westbrook would return to form in the 2014-15 season after playing only around half of the Thunder’s 2013-14 regular season. He did have three extremely productive years after returning, but many think that he was never as fast as he used to be before his meniscus injury in the 2013 NBA playoffs. The way that Beverley recklessly dove at his feet was a talking point in the Thunder locker room by Russ’ admission.

The Thunder plotted on bringing basketball justice to the overenthusiastic Beverley sooner rather than later. But they didn’t get a real opportunity for a long time to do this because the two teams didn’t meet in the postseason for four seasons after that. However, in 2016-17, James Harden and Russell Westbrook finished top 2 in MVP voting in one of the closest MVP races of all time before meeting in the playoffs.

The No. 3 seeded Houston Rockets had a clear talent and gameplay advantage over the Thunder that year. Yet, in the minutes that Westbrook was on the court during this first round series, he won the minutes for OKC. Much of this came off his coordination with his big men Enes Kanter and Steven Adams on offense. Both these centers were impeccable roll men who set great screens for him to navigate.

Patrick Beverley was the victim of one of these brick wall screens executed by the New Zealander. Steven Adams positioned himself on the right side of the offensive half and waited for Westbrook to maneuver towards him. Beverley was blindsided by the screen and didn’t see Adams positioning himself in his path. The then-Rockets guard went down like a sack of potatoes after contact in his midsection from Steven Adams. This is a piece that has gone down in NBA lore.

But according to Beverley, his reaction was a flop, and he didn’t actually get thrown to the floor due to the force on Adams’ screen on this play. He tweeted this, saying:

I flopped

Patrick Beverley and Steven Adams have had contrasting NBA fortunes

Steven Adams has been a fan favorite for every team that he’s played over the past 12 years. The New Zealander never takes himself too seriously, is an amazing locker room guy and is also probably the strongest player in the NBA over the past decade.

The Houston Rockets have traded for center Steven Adams
The Houston Rockets have traded for center Steven Adams (Image via Open Source/X)

As a result, he has been on a lot of winning teams, although he hasn’t had playoff success at the same level. Adams has played for the Pelicans, Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets over the past five NBA seasons. He has been impactful and a great role player at each of these places with a variety of stars around him. He is now in Houston and will rejoin his former teammate Kevin Durant in their quest for a title.

Patrick Beverley, meanwhile, seems to have cut off many of his most effective NBA ties over the years. He was looked at as a quintessential ‘Process era’ Clipper for his impact in the two seasons before the arrival of Kawhi Leonard with the fan base, but he was traded away and later became a Laker, erasing much of that goodwill. Currently playing in Israel, Beverley likely will not be back in the NBA till he retires.

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