Patrick Beverley plays all out, and he speaks with the same transparency. So when the LA Clippers guard (and best defensive player in the NBA) said players were targeting rookie Lonzo Ball, there’s no reason to think he’s making it up. Especially because after he told the world Ball had a target on his Lakers back, Beverley proceeded to hit that target over and over, playing the kind of rabid, ferocious defense on Ball that would make a lesser rookie seek another profession. Beverley said he told Ball afterwards that “due to all the riffraff his dad brings, that he’s going to get a lot of people coming at him.”
Heck, even fans want to pile on Lonzo Ball because his dad LaVar keeps talking the kid up like he’s already Magic Johnson. Or as Charles Barkley put it about LaVar Ball’s constant bragging on his son: LaVar Ball is writing checks his son can’t cash. The below tweet/video shows Lonzo’s Pops demonstrating his check writing ability and hanging his son out to dry, the way some people see it. After threatening the Wizards with a loss because Lonzo can’t lose “twice in the same week,” LaVar got a response from Wizards center Marcin Gortat. Gortat said Wizards star John Wall will simply torture Ball for 48 minutes. Guess what the NBA is good at selling? Entertainment, ladies and gentlemen. Don’t look for the commish to try to quiet LaVar Ball anytime soon. But Lonzo? The super rook might just ask dad to cool it for a bit. For his part Wall responded blandly that he wants to have a good game and to “lead my team.” He also said there are “certain matchups you really get up for.” Whether you call it torture or just tenacity depends on whether you’re Marcin Gortat or not. Wizards v. Lakers at LA, 10:30pm ESPN.
LaVar Ball’s message to the Wizards: They better beware cause Lonzo ain’t losing again. Not in the same week!https://t.co/4ksxnSRU5d pic.twitter.com/VA8JDfRUFS
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 23, 2017
man….. pleaseeeeee!!! @JohnWall will torture him for 48min ????
— Marcin Gortat?? (@MGortat) October 23, 2017
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