LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 3, 2020

Patrick Beverley

Press Conference

Q. It's been a little while since we spoke to you. I want to know how did it feel to get back to the team when you got back?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Really excited. Of course they kind of turning off reality a little bit what was going on back home, but I was able to come around my brothers, go around the coaching here and come here to do what I love to do the most, which is play basketball.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the Suns, obviously bring a different dynamic with Rubio and Devin Booker, and what kind of threats do they present to you as far as defensively and how you have to adjust to them?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Well, I think they're one of the thirstier teams here. Of course obviously trying to make the Playoffs, their coach and their coaching staffs, they have them playing at a high level right now, playing really fast. Ricky and Devin kind of setting the tone with Aiden in there. They do a hell of a job in spacing. It'll be another good test for us. We understand they were going to come in and play hard, extremely hard as possible, and we've got to match that intensity throughout the game.

Q. You talked about dealing with reality and having to turn that off when you're here. How tough is that?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: I don't know, it seems normal for me. I've been dealing with adversity since I've been growing up, so this is just another, I guess, bag of fuel I can use for motivation.

Q. You and your peers have brought a much-needed spotlight into social injustice that's been involved in this country. What would be your message to inner city youth about avoiding the pitfalls of life and becoming productive members of society or even future NBA stars like yourself?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Okay, well, I think there's nothing you really can do to kind of prepare for life. I think life hits you at all different angles no matter what age where you're at, so I don't really think there's a lot you can do to prepare for life. But my message to them is simple. Faith and hard work has been my mirror or potion of success. Things going to get hard, you've got to grow with it; things are going to be good, you've got to roll with it. Things are not going to be easy; things are not going to be fair. It's okay in any situation, just do your best, and with that, with faith and hard work, everything will equal out the way it needs to.

Q. I just wanted to see what was it like to be back around the guys the last couple games, both after your recent situation and then being off the floor for so long?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: It was good. I was able to kind of clear my mind a little bit being back on the basketball court and doing what I love to do the most. Definitely got to get my wind up a little bit. My conditioning is not where it needs to be. But we've got these games to kind of figure it out, but I'm just happy to be back here, be back here with my teammates and my guys and kind of get on this quest to win this NBA championship.

Q. The fact that you left the bubble and came back, do you feel like that gives you more ability to relate to what Trez is going through and what Lou is going through under quarantine?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Yes.

Q. What do you think you can give to them and how do you guys stay connected?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Text messages.

Q. When you came back to the bubble and you were in your room quarantining, obviously you know you're going to play a game in a couple days. I'm curious, what did you do or what could you do physically to work out, to try to get some level of physical activity when you're stuck inside a hotel room and you know the Lakers game is coming up? What could you really do?

PATRICK BEVERLEY: Well, I had an Airdyne bike in my room. Any time that they played preseason, I kind of tried to mirror as much there on the court as much as I was on the basketball. I kind of tried to mirror that same kind of intensity. Of course I had some dynamic workouts, some full-body stuff to try to get my heart rate up, but nothing that can kind of compare to the basketball game, so I was just happy to get out there on the basketball court and try to get it going a little bit.