Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverly is renowned around the league for his stingy defense. He was on the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2017, and the Second Team in 2014. Surprisingly, he did not make the team this year. Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Milwaukee Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe took first-team honors. Beverly had a short but snarky response to the snub:

Obviously, Beverly feels like he should've been named as one of the best defenders in the league. He averaged 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks a game over 78 games, and consistently guarded the opponents best offensive player. During the Clippers series against the Golden State Warriors, Beverly even got time matched up with Kevin Durant, despite the massive height differential.

Beverly is unafraid of guarding anybody, no matter the height or weight difference. Part of what makes him such a great defender is the fact that he relishes every defensive assignment and gives 100 percent every game to locking up his man.

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This defensive focus is rare in today's league. Most guys would rather focus on scoring the ball and beating down your opponent with buckets than shutting an opponent down on the other side of the floor.

Beverly belongs to a dying breed of NBA player who relishes doing the dirty defensive work. It's a shame that his effort will go unrecognized this year, especially after the Clippers surpassed expectations with an excellent season.