LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers had a lot of praise for starting point guard Patrick Beverley following their huge win against the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA championship-winning coach lauded Beverley's impact on the court, even without scoring, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints:

The Arkansas standout's calling card in this league is on the defensive end, and that's where he makes his money. His hustle and defensive intensity have earned him two All-Defensive team nods in his career so far, including one first-team selection.

He certainly showed all of that in Monday night's 113-105 victory over the Lakers. Beverley recorded five steals on the night to go along with his 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.

Beverley always looks like he plays with something to prove, and did he ever want to prove something against LeBron James and the Lakers. The former second-round pick, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs a mere 185 pounds, reportedly wanted to take on the 6-foot-8, 250-pound James on defense, and he didn't disappoint.

The feisty guard set the tone for the Clippers early on that end of the court, getting into the four-time MVP's grill. Beverley's tactics seemed to be effective, as James appeared to be frustrated with his sticky and disruptive defense.

Nonetheless, the win gave the Clippers much more breathing room in the Western Conference postseason hunt. They are currently in seventh place, a half-game above the eighth-place San Antonio Spurs and 3.5 games over the ninth-place Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers, on the other hand, are falling off the playoff race after dropping their third game in a row. Their chances of returning to the postseason are getting slimmer with every defeat, and they are now 5.5 games out of the final spot with 18 games remaining on their schedule.