Clippers' Beverley: Dame is my toughest matchup

Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has made his mark in the NBA as a defensive pest.

The eight-year veteran has gone toe-to-toe with the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant during his career, but he says Damian Lillard has been his toughest matchup.

"Dame is one of the reasons why I went into the weight room," Beverley said on "The JJ Redick Podcast with Tommy Alter." "And I told my guys, 'Hey, I gotta get faster laterally. I don't feel like I'm fast. I can't keep up with the speed right now. I don't know if I need to lose weight. I don't know if I need to get stronger. I don't know if I need to hire a new f------ (strength and conditioning) team. But I need to get f------ faster.'"

Lillard is shooting 39.4% from deep on a career-high 9.9 attempts per game this season. He currently ranks fifth in the Association with a personal-best 28.9 points per contest.

Beverley also credited the Portland Trail Blazers for playing to Lillard's strengths. The five-time All-Star - who drilled the fourth-most triples in 2019-20, including 49 from 30 feet-plus, per NBA.com - has been given the freedom to let it fly from virtually anywhere on the floor.

"He's in a system where they allow him to be exactly who he is in order for them to win at a high level," Beverley said. "Those half-court shots are - for me, that's layups and corner shots, half-court shots for him, though. The dynamic is very different when you're going out there preparing for a player like that. Way different."