There’s been a shift in the Chicago Bulls’ play since they brought in guard Patrick Beverley in the buyout market, and it’s led to the team making a run in the play-in field in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago is 12-7 since adding Beverley, and the team is now fifth in the NBA in defensive rating. While the Bulls are still the No. 10 seed, they are in striking distance of the No. 8 spot with four games to play, sitting just one game back of the Atlanta Hawks.
“I just think that, first off, you know, the decision of me coming here was – when you talk about a perfect fit – I mean, you couldn’t, you couldn’t see a better fit,” Beverley said in an exclusive interview with FanSided. “I’m able to, you know, I have the ball in my hands. I’m able to initiate the offense, but I’m able to kind of be me in the locker room kind of lead.
“Show my routine through my work show the young guys how to do things kind of give them basketball hacks life hacks that they’re able to like own on to and kind of make themselves better throughout their careers.”
Beverley praised the work ethic of the Bulls’ roster and head coach Billy Donovan for putting the team in a position to succeed this season. After a slow start, Chicago has really turned things on in the second half of the season, ranking second in the NBA since the All-Star break in net rating (7.0).
“Obviously, if you can win one game instead of winning two, it always helps you,” Beverley said of the team’s standing in the play-in tournament.
He was instrumental in helping the Minnesota Timberwolves last season advance in the play-in, and that experience is one of the reasons Beverley can lead for this Chicago team in the 2022-23 season.
“So I think my biggest message is, ‘Guys, we might go in this playoff game, everything might feel right the night before you might go up there and make no shots.
“You still got to find a way to win a game though. That’s been my message. And obviously from experience for me playing in the playoffs, for me playing in the play-in , I think that’s my biggest thing. Don’t get down on yourself.”
The Bulls close out the 2022-23 season with games against the Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons.
A win over Atlanta would go a long way to Chicago securing a top-eight spot in the Eastern Conference ahead of the league’s play-in tournament.
Patrick Beverley reveals Defensive Player of Year pick
With NBA awards season approaching, I also spoke to Beverley about some of his favorite defenders in the NBA, including his Defensive Player of the Year pick.
While oddsmakers have Jaren Jackson Jr., Brook Lopez and Evan Mobley at the top of the odds board, Beverley discussed a former Timberwolves teammate, Jaden McDaniels, as someone he thinks can win a Defensive Player of the Year award down the line.
“I like Jaden McDaniels,” Beverley said. “He’s 6’8-6’9, long. He can move his feet. He’s nice with his hands. He’s not scared to get dunked on – go for blocked shots. I like him.
“I mean, obviously not now because he’s so young, but throughout the years, I think that’s gonna be a name that you’re gonna hear for a while when it comes to defense and top defensive players.”
Beverley also revealed his favorite guard defenders (besides himself) that included his teammate Alex Caruso.
Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart, Dennis Schroder and T.J. McConnell also made Beverley’s list.
Beverley and Caruso could be a scary duo for any backcourt to face in the NBA playoffs.
“I gotta give Caruso some love for sure.I didn’t know he can – I text him after the game – ‘Like man, I didn’t know you could, you could move like that defensively. You got some s—.’
“Like his strength, he’s stronger than I thought he was. He’s bigger than I thought he was. His ability to catch a first dribble, with hips without hands is elite. And him sacrificing his body for charges.”
Bulls fans are certainly hoping that Beverley and Caruso can wreak havoc on whoever the team faces in the play-in tournament to make it back to the postseason for the second time in as many seasons.
Patrick Beverley’s partnership with Charmin
Beverley is currently partnering with Charmin Strong and Soft, and he thinks the brand is having some fun with things recently, with a new brand he believes is “fresh.”
Even though he’s known as a tough player on the court, Beverley embodies both strong and soft qualities in his life.
“I like that, you know, I like to be out the box a lot,” Beverley said.
“Obviously the soft and strong qualities, you know, you follow me on the basketball court, you see how strong my demeanor is. But you follow me through my everyday walking life on, you know, that I give you on my Instagram that when it comes to my kids, when it comes to my family members, when it comes to my relationship, when it comes to my dogs, I’m kind of softer than that.”
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