Röportaj: Utkuhan Genç, TrendBasket
Houston Rockets visited Indiana Pacers on Sunday and got a 120-101 loss in Indiana. Before the game in which we attended as TrendBasket, we did an exclusive interview with Rockets’ guard Patrick Beverley.
You have played in Russia and Greece between the years of 2008 and 2012. How was that experience like?
It was a good experience. I was able to understand the game more and read the game better. My basketball IQ got higher over there. It helped hone my skills, helped me mature a lot and get ready for the NBA.
Are you still following the European basketball? Are you watching the EuroLeague?
Oh, yeah. Me and my friend Bobby Brown. We both are still following the European basketball. We still got good friends playing over there. I don’t have a chance to watch EuroLeague basketball. We have so many games here.
This season, there’s an ongoing position shift: James Harden plays at PG, while you have the starting SG position. What do you think about this change?
Honestly, it’s a good position for me. I’m able to do a little bit of both. I’m able to play a little bit of point guard, a little bit of shooting guard. It’s been working this year. We’re happy with our success and we want the team to get better.
What are your thoughts about the new All-Star voting system?
I don’t know how it goes but I felt like Eric Gordon should have made the All-Star team and he didn’t. It’s what it is. But we got James in there. He’s a starter first time in his career. We are super excited about that.
James Harden has had a marvelous year so far. What do you think about his performance?
He’s been playing marvelous for the last three years. I said before the season that he’s the MVP. I really think that he’s been playing this way for the last couple of years. People started noticing that because we’re winning. But he’s been playing at a high level, leading the way and we are helping him.
In the 120-101 loss against Pacers, Beverley recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in almost 34 minutes of play.
You have been shooting more threes, scoring more, playing faster this year under Mike D’Antoni. What can you say about his system?
A lot of possessions and a lot of points are what we have right now. We are super excited. We want to go out and get better every day. In return, our ranking has improved.
In the last 13 games, you have played nine road games. And this (at Pacers) is your fifth consecutive road game. How did all the traveling affect you?
Travels are always tough but road life is road life. We are just trying to go out and focus on each game to win.