Patrick Beverley just can't get any respect. In this Bleacher Report article (which is actually pretty well written and conceived), the author makes a compelling case for the Rockets to make a move to upgrade the PG position.
My beef is the statistical validation the author uses to suggest Beverley is a below average (and way over-rated) defender. Once again, people focus on the percentages and ignore the volume. Much like the "Dwight Effect" which directs people's attention to how many shots don't even get taken because of him (all of which carry a 0.0 fg%--an excellent score indeed!).
In the author's statistical data, Beverley allows opposing PG's to shoot 46.9% against him (+2.7% better than their overall average). This is true, but it casually glosses right over the number of attempts. Beverley allows 4.0 makes in 8.6 attempts per game. Now, stop and think about that. He primarily defends each team's starting PG and most teams' starting PG is a stud offensive player. Check out how many shots NBA point guards take per game: LINK.
For comparison, Aaron Brooks takes 8.8 shots/game. Russell Westbrook tops the list with 20 shots/game.
Yet, Beverley is constantly derided for his opp fg%. Well, if we factored in the 0.0% on the extra shots they normally would have taken I think that number would plummet. (I know that's not how it works, but it is certainly something people should take into account when measuring his overall effect on the game).
I know there is overlap and not all of those shots belong to his "natural counterpart".
For comparison, here are some other players' numbers:
Beverley: 8.6 opp fga (+2.7 fg% above average) 31 mpg
Irving: 11.2 opp fga (+1.2 fg% above average) 38 mpg
Lillard: 10.6 opp fga (+.4 fg%) 36 mpg
Rondo: 8.1 (+.9%) 31mpg
Wall: 10.0 (-1.6%) 36 mpg
Westbrook: 7.3 (+.5%) 32 mpg
Conley: 10.5 (+1.8%) 32 mpg
Curry: 10.3 (-3.8%) 33 mpg
Jennings: 7.5 (-.2%) 29 mpg
Lowry: 10.8 (-.8%) 35 mpg
Paul: 9.1 (-.3%) 34 mpg
Knight: 9.1 (-.9%) 32 mpg
(all data from NBA.com and ESPN.com)
I added the mpg to give it a bit more context and relativity. It seems I have proven myself wrong 
. Beverley compares favorably, but he doesn't separate himself from other defenders all that much when you account for minutes played. Russell Westbrook is the clear winner here with Wall a close second.
Beverley does outshine Conley and Curry, but once you factor in offensive contributions that diminishes the achievement.
I still love Bev's heart and hustle. His rebounding and shot blocking are excellent. I also think he has a knack for timely late-game plays that can swing the tide for us. Still, the numbers don't lie. He's a solid defender, but not so much that we can ignore the offensive issues.
On the positive side, he ranks 9th among PG's in 3fg% while ranking 7th in total 3 attempts. He is 5th in reb/48 among PG's. He's solid in other areas too. I know they are trying to work on his play making abilities and figuring out ways to maximize his skills within the offense, but at the end of the day he is not anywhere near the same league as most of his peers.
So much for my "Bev Effect". Bev is good, but he's not as good as I had thought. Brandon Knight looked pretty solid though.... 
