Timberwolves

Mr. 94 Feet Has Picked Up the Wolves This Season

Photo Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

The official’s whistle sounded. Technical foul, No. 22. Chicago’s shooting two.

Patrick Beverley had just received his second technical foul and was ejected from the game during Sunday’s matchup against his hometown Chicago Bulls. The technical foul, which came after Beverley argued against an out-of-bounds call, was his 10th of the season.

The number ten seemed to follow Pat Bev on this day. Before the Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-120, Beverley took to social media to announce that Sunday marked his 10th year of service in the NBA.

We’ve all heard the story. After spending nearly three years playing professionally overseas in Ukraine, Greece, and Russia, Beverley was able to find his way back to the US, signing a deal with the Houston Rockets. It was a feat most pro players overseas only dream of accomplishing.

But that’s Patrick Beverley.

When you think of Pat Bev, you probably imagine him hounding opposing players on defense. But in actuality, PB was his team’s primary scoring option in college.

Coming out of the University of Arkansas, Beverley was touted as a natural scoring combo guard. But he was only 6’1, and many scouts deemed him too small to be a reliable defender at the NBA level. However, Beverley has defied the odds by altering his playstyle from being a reliable scoring option to one of the league’s peskiest perimeter defenders.

In his first season with Minnesota, Beverley found a way to breathe new life into a previously moribund franchise. He brought the same grit and tenacity it took for him to ensure his return to the NBA to Minnesota. As a result, Beverley has completely helped change the team’s identity.

Regardless of what Russell Westbrook may say, Pat Bev doesn’t trick y’all. He doesn’t just run around and act like he’s vital to winning. Beverley is a solid contributor to his team’s winning habits. He showcased that by helping double the Wolves’ previous win total (23), earning Mr. 94 Feet a spot on the Mt. Rushmore of Minnesota basketball.

But Beverley’s work was, and remains, far from finished. After taking on his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, in one of the most critical games in Wolves history last night, Patrick Beverley proved his worth. And although Minnesota’s victory can be directly attributed to the valiant efforts of both Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, the determined 10-year veteran’s 7 points and 11 rebounds proved to be a deciding factor in the outcome of Tuesday’s play-in game.

In terms of who impacts winning the most on the Wolves, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, or even D’Angelo Russell likely come to the forefront of everyone’s minds. But dammit, I’m here to attest for the junkyard dog himself.

The Wolves went 33-25 in the 58 games that Beverley suited up this season, a 56.9 winning percentage. And although Pat Bev was able to play the most games this season since 2019, Chris Finch and the bunch felt the pain of Beverley’s absence.

Minnesota went just 13-11 in the games that he sat out, a winning percentage of 54.2. And sure, the team was still able to win more than half of their games played with Beverley sidelined. But his production on the court speaks just as loudly as he does regarding Minnesota’s success.

Per StatMuse, Minnesota has a record of:

  • 21-10 when PB scores in double-figures.
  • 12-15 when scoring less than 10.
  • 28-16 when Beverley recorded 1+ steals.
  • 5-9 when he finished without a steal.

Even with Patrick Beverley’s production on the floor last night playing such a vital role in the Wolves’ play-in win, his play is not the only factor in Minnesota’s success this spring. Before their matchup, LA Clippers forward Paul George said it best:

 “I’m not going through Pat. We’re going through the T-Wolves. It’s not a Paul George vs. Patrick Beverley matchup. This isn’t a Pat Bev vs. Clippers matchup. We gotta go through the Timberwolves and the Wolves have to stop the Clippers.”

PG is correct. The Timberwolves will have to take on Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round of the playoffs. Not just Patrick Beverley. Thankfully, he’s lifted them to new heights this year.

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