I think Bev's ego is growing a bit too large as well. I only watched the Harden highlights as I was working today - and most times can't watch the replay of tough losses. But with the shot clock winding down late in the game Bev is in the corner jumping up and down calling for the ball from Harden (he wasn't even wide open mind you)... Seems he got a little annoyed he didn't get it. Harden constantly reminds him why he's the one with the ball in his hands not Bev - yet Bev at times looks like he doesn't know his place. And if it isn't on the bench bar 20 minutes a game - I'm hoping it's soon out of the Rockets Red because he is flat out bringing nothing recently besides his turnstile defense which has become laughable.
I really don't feel sorry for any of these NBA guys who are paid a lot of money for bouncing a ball for a living. However, I do feel bad for Bev for his suckiness in a contract year. Bev had to make financial sacrifices 3 years ago, having to pay about $500K out of his own pocket as part of his buyout from his russian team to realize his dream of playing in the NBA. For that we should be grateful. If memory serves, he made his debut by making 3 three pointers and play outstanding d along with his trademark hustle. Who can ever forget his great play against the Heat last year, dunking on Bosh and playing terrific D on Lebron (the king chose a jumper over driving with Bev guarding him, lol). Where did all that awesomess go???? Either he has not fully recovered from his injuries and/or is too concerned with further injuries in a contract year. Either way, overall, Bev has been a liability in that starting lineup. My prediction is that Bev's days as a Rocket is nearing an end. Morey will likely trade him in the coming days as a filler for a starting pg, and force McHale's hands by playing Canaan as a backup.
Beverley is not a starting point guard. And he's a 3 and D specialist. But right now he's not playing good D and he isn't hitting the 3 as well as he had been. He's probably still dealing with injuries, but the Rockets needed an upgrade at the PG spot even before he ever got hurt. They need someone else on he perimeter who can facilitate. I don't know if you trade him or trade someone else and move him to the back-up role... but I think a change needs to be made.
I don't feel bad for him. He needed to step up in a contract year like most NBA players tend to do(see Trevor Ariza a year ago), and he's failed miserably. Granted, the 2 hammy injuries were unfortunate and not his fault, but he's played like garbage over the last month on both ends of the floor(DJ Augustine lit him up for chrissakes!). Like Ariza, it was tolerable for him to not score or dish out assists in the past if he was at least pestering the opposing PG, but these days he's a non-factor in virtually every facet of the game aside from the occasional offensive rebound. I agree that his days as a Rocket are likely over after this season. He's an unrestricted free agent and there's no way in hell the team gives him a raise and extends him a few more years when they're gonna have a hard enough time hanging onto Smith and Brewer(assuming Morey and Les prioritize retaining those two).
He's a high energy effort player. His defense while effective has been overrated and it seems his body is catching up to him, kinda shocking given hes only 26... it seems he's grinding down. hope he can pick it up soon
For whatever reason he is not playing as hard on defense any longer - he might be better suited to coming off the bench for his 3 and D abilities...let him go all out and harass. DD
Bev was logging a lot of minutes once he came back from his injury. Why isn't Shved getting any burn now?
I don't understand our offensive or defensive strategies. The cross matches on defense are leaving people wide open. Because our PG and SG can't guard the opposing PG and SG, requiring crazy switches all over the court. Wide open pros for uncontested jump shots. D12, wouldn't have made a difference, LMA lit him up as well.
To me it's simple. 1. Bev is playing through injury this being his contract year. 2. Bev has the Parsons syndrome, plain and simple. Bev is trying to get paid this off season just like Parsons was last season. In this league for most guys, Offense PAYS much more than defense. Bev is now trying to play passable D (having acquied the reputation of being an "elite" defender) while saving energy and getting better numbers on the offensive end. Unfortunately, that is not what the Rockets require from him and that is not what he is. The guy is a real definition of 3 and D. He is an energy player but he is now forcing things way too much.
Although I don't think his volume of shots is all that bad (Haven't checked the numbers) I am getting sick of seeing him trying to make a play and hold the ball the entire 24 seconds to come up with a fade away brick or try one of those spins in the paint and miss badly. Clyde actually said something that made sense last night, harden is the one who should have the ball late in the game and not Beverly. Also his defense has always been over-rated. He's a scrappy guy/high energy but that doesn't mean he's good at defense and it's now becoming obvious he's never been an elite defender. He's frustrated other teams PG by being physical and annoying but can't stay in front of them. He's a back up PG at best and was lucky to have an opportunity with the Rockets because we had james harden who is able to distribute and score the ball so we could live with a sub par PG but he doesn't start for majority of teams in the NBA.
I can agree with most of you on a couple of things.. Bev is not playing the same D as last year and he may be hurt... I remember a poster stating that "the way Bev plays, he can not keep that up for the entire season." 1) Maybe Bev is trying to pace himself and his style of play is wearing him down... 2) All the picks that are being set on Bev and with his style of play it wouldn't surprise me that he's hurt. There have been some vicious picks set on him and that's what you get when you get a rep like he has. 3) With those 2 things and this being a contract year, I can see him trying protect himself. T_Man
Not sure Beverley is trying to pad stats on offense or anything. He is shooting somewhat more often than he did last year-- 2.1 more FGA per 100 possession, but his usage rate is still well-below average at 16.5%. In addition, his 2 pointers attempted per possession is still pretty much the same (6.4 per 100 posssession last season vs. 6.5 this year), what increased was his 3 pointers attempted (7.3 last year, 9.4 this year)-- and those largely spot-up shots that came of passes by teammates and are the kind of shots that the Rockets demand every player to take. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/beverpa01.html Beverley's increase in FGA is more likely just a result how the offense has operated this year-- a lot of 3 point attempts. What has made him look bad offensively is a steep decrease in 2 point FG%-- those floaters and layup attempts are not falling-- possibly reflecting a decrease in athleticism.
This happened to Kyle Lowry too, as he became more offensively minded his D slipped significantly. DD
I said a while ago that our starting lineup was flawed, and it became a problem with the departure of Parsons as a facilitator. We all know by now that the starting lineup needs a second person to create to others or at the very least, to himself. It is now incumbent on Morey to do fix this by acquiring someone to help out.
I disagree. He's not doing much more on offense than normal. He just hasn't seemed quite as effective offensively this year. It's his defense that has slipped a good bit. The contract year theory would make sense if he is slacking on defense to use his energy on the offensive end and play more hero ball and take more shots... but that isn't the case. He's more or less the same as last year on offense.
I think it's more of an injury issue. Plus the amount of minutes he's played per game after the injury early on. I don't think he's trying to padding his stats offensively hoping it's going to net him a fat contract . Defense is his specialty and teams will give him a decent contract for that.
