Clippers' Patrick Beverley on Defending Lakers' LeBron James: 'No Challenge'

Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley might have poked the bear with his postgame comments about LeBron James following the Clippers' 112-103 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Asked by reporters what it's like to defend James, Beverley responded that it's "no challenge."

James had 28 points on 7-of-17 shooting Sunday but struggled in the Lakers' first two meetings with the Clippers. He went 16-of-43 from the field for 41 points in back-to-back defeats. In the second matchup on Christmas Day, Beverley smothered LeBron to force a turnover as the Lakers trailed by three points in the final seconds.

Beverley has never been shy about speaking his mind, and trash talk is to be expected in any rivalry. Still, players target James at their own risk.

In one of the most famous examples of trash talk backfiring a bit, James took exception to Draymond Green calling him a "b---h" in the 2016 NBA Finals, per The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. Klay Thompson addressed the situation in a press conference and wondered aloud whether "[LeBron's] feelings just got hurt."

James chuckled when alerted to Thompson's comments.

He and the Cleveland Cavaliers responded by winning three straight games to complete their improbable comeback.

Not to mention the four-time MVP carried a personal slight from unnamed Miami Heat team officials for more than a year and used it as motivation to bring the Cavs their first championship.

It's not as if after hearing Beverley's trash talk a switch will flip for James and the Lakers to make them want to win a title this season; that was already the goal.

But giving them another reason to best their city rivals in the postseason might not be an advisable approach.