Can LA Clippers handle the pressure as favorites?
The LA Clippers hit the jackpot this offseason. For the first time in a long time, they are finally contenders. But can they really handle the pressure?
Being the favorites is one thing, but being able to handle the pressure is something else. The LA Clippers acquired the reigning NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard, and soon after traded for Paul George. Since making those moves, they were instantly put in the who will win the championship conversation.
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To answer the question of whether they are able to handle the pressure as favorites, we would need to consider how those players performed in the past. When looking at their roster, there are four key players that will contribute the most to winning a championship. Let’s start with Patrick Beverley.
Can Beverley handle the pressure?
Beverley is not the typical star that you can rely on to give you a 30-point game or to take over offensively in the clutch but that does not mean a team would not want him. He may lack the offensive skillset that other starting point guards possess, however, his contributions are beyond what is on the stat sheet.
If you look at the entirety of his career starting from college to Russia, and his NBA career, you can clearly tell that he can handle everything that life throws at him. As most fans know, he did not have an easy life or an easy start to his basketball career, yet somehow, he always managed to overcome those odds every single time.
But what does this have to do with handling the pressure?
Well, it speaks to his hunger, his motivation, and determination, where he believes that is he capable of doing anything. This brings us to the 2019 playoffs where the eighth-seeded Clippers faced the Golden State Warriors.
Most players in the league have no desire for guarding one of the best scorers in league history in Kevin Durant. They would rather guard someone who won’t give them as much trouble. But not Beverley. He wanted that assignment of guarding Durant and he made sure he worked for his points.
Although I mentioned he isn’t an offensive star that you can rely on, he certainly is a player that has the ability to knock down clutch shots. Not long ago, Beverley did this against the Boston Celtics.
And this dagger.
It is clear that when the time comes, Beverley will not back down when the pressure is at its highest.