Kendrick Perkins rips Patrick Beverley for his hollow promises and hyped talks: "You cannot fool this fanbase…You're gonna have to produce"

The LA Lakers’ starting backcourt of Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook has been off to a miserable start on the offensive end. But while Westbrook has gotten a ton of flak, Beverley has largely gone unscathed.

Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins, however, wasn’t about to let Beverley get off the hook. Here’s what he had to say about the former Utah Jazz guard’s performance:

“You are on the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most historical franchises in sports history. You cannot fool this fanbase. So all the talking, all the guaranteeing in the playoffs, all the extra stuff, that’s not gonna get it. You’re gonna have to produce!"

He added:

"When you are on the team with LeBron James, you are under a microscope and you’re gonna have to produce and you have not done that.”

So far, Patrick Beverley has mostly been all talk and no bite. He previously guaranteed that the LA Lakers would have been in the Western Conference Finals last season had he been in the lineup. He hasn’t made much of an impact, however, in 58 minutes with his new team.

Beverley has made only two of 12 field goal attempts, including 2-for-11 from the three-point line. If not for his hustle and scrappiness, he would have been unplayable. In most instances, opposing players will not even bother to run him off the three-point line, which keeps the lane clogged.

Last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Patrick Beverley averaged 34.3% of his trifectas, the worst of his career. Currently, he is down to a horrific 18.2% clip which is a huge problem in of itself but has been exacerbated because of Westbrook.

The LA Lakers have a brutal schedule to start the season. They can’t solely rely on Anthony Davis and LeBron James to carry them offensively. The backcourt’s struggles are only going add more pressure on the duo.

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The LA Lakers need more consistent production from Patrick Beverley, Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn

Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook shot 1-18 combined against the LA Clippers. [photo: MARCA]

Two games don’t make a full season, but what the LA Lakers point guard rotation has shown will be a cause for concern for Darvin Ham. The Lakers need consistent production from Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn to be competitive.

The LA Clippers glaringly dared the three guards to shoot while blanketing James and Davis with double and triple teams. Fortunately for the Lakers, Lonnie Walker IV stepped up and made several key baskets. Had it not been for Walker, the score could have been really ugly.

Against the Warriors’ the Lakers’ trio of point guards made 13 of 26 shots, including 5 of 14 from three-point range. The production against the Clippers was nightmarish. They combined for only one of 25 attempts, which was highlighted by hitting only one of 16 long-range shots.

LeBron James’ teams have always been deadly when shooters are arrayed around him. James' skills are also maximized when he has consistent shooters around him. Without that, the LA Lakers currently look like a play-in team at best.