LOS ANGELES — Bulls guard Patrick Beverley had studied the schedule weeks in advance.
After the Lakers traded Beverley at the deadline in February, the Magic bought out his contract and his hometown Bulls eventually signed him, he knew exactly what was coming.
Two games against the Lakers in four days, starting Sunday at Crypto Arena. Or, as Beverley initially stated, his chance to eliminate them from their current play-in standing in the Western Conference.
Let the revenge tour begin.
‘‘That’s fine. He can try,’’ Lakers big man Anthony Davis told Los Angeles-area media about Beverley’s comments. ‘‘He can come try. We’ll see Sunday.’’
Beverley will be there.
‘‘You can point at a lot of things, but everything happens for a reason,’’ Beverley said Saturday. ‘‘They’ve gotten better after the trade. The Bulls after the All-Star break, we’ve gotten better, and that’s what it’s all about. At the end of the day, we’re playing basketball. We’re not out there a UFC fighter or a boxing match. We’re able to compete at the highest level, and to do it on a stage in L.A. is always fun.’’
A suddenly humble Beverley? Don’t buy it.
Come the tipoff and the first possession, expect Beverley to go at full speed and intensity until the final horn.
‘‘I’ve always been wired like every game is the most important, so I don’t want to put too much on one game,’’ Beverley said. ‘‘The first game is just as important as the last. Whatever game you have next is the most important. That’s always been my mindset.’’
So has proving people wrong. Players, coaches, front offices, all of them. The former Marshall standout has made a career of that.
Since his arrival, the Bulls are 9-5 and playing their best basketball of the season. They have a more consistent identity, especially defensively, and have a calmer mentality in close games.
‘‘Pat’s been great for me, and it does have some of that same vibe, that same energy, like when we had [a healthy] Lonzo [Ball], just the disruption and having guys that can make defensive plays instinctually,’’ teammate Alex Caruso said. ‘‘That’s stuff you can’t teach, stuff you can’t really scout.
‘‘Then just me and him, being high-IQ basketball players, like Lonzo was, just being able to play off each other, being able to cover up for each other whenever we are being aggressive. It’s something I’ve noticed that’s worked really well.’’
That’s not the only thing.
Beverley knows his reputation around the league always will be as a defensive-minded player. But coaches who really appreciate his game praise the way he runs the team with the ball in his hands.
Add Bulls coach Billy Donovan to that club.
As for the naysayers?
‘‘They don’t want to give me my credit,’’ Beverley said. ‘‘That’s the truth, though. What I did in Minnesota, you hear it, but you don’t hear enough of it, as you should.’’
Asked whether it was upsetting to him for his offensive skills not to be validated, he responded: ‘‘Nah, I made close to $100 million. If that’s saying enough right there, I don’t need much validation.
‘‘That’s just the nature of the game. [Defense] will always be my title. No matter how many dimes I throw, no matter what I shoot percentage-wise from the three-point line, it will always stick with me. Which is good. Surprise attack.’’
