Bulls’ Patrick Beverley keeps making opponents feel ‘squeezably soft’

LOS ANGELES — Guard Patrick Beverley was talking utensils.

He had just helped the Bulls to an impressive 118-108 victory over the Lakers on Sunday, and the former Marshall standout and former Laker was diving into the silverware metaphors.

“If I’m a spoon, [coach] Billy [Donovan] is using me as a spoon,’’ Beverley said. “The Lakers, you know, I was a spoon, and they were using me as a fork. It’s just different. I’m fortunate the Bulls called during the trade [to the Magic at the deadline], and I just don’t want to let the city down, Billy, my players and this coaching staff . . . I just don’t want to let them down. Trying to come out here and play the right way.’’

But here’s the thing about spoons. They also stir the pot, and few are better at that than Beverley.

That was evident the minute the Bulls landed in L.A., starting with a picture that appeared on Beverley’s social-media account — or, as Donovan called it, his “SnapFace’’ — of him in his SUV, surrounded by rolls of Charmin.

Yes, the “squeezably soft’’ toilet paper.

Was he saying the Lakers were soft? Was he being specific and saying Lakers big man — and fellow Chicago native — Anthony -Davis was soft?

The two reportedly didn’t always see eye to eye when Beverley was a Laker during the first half of the season, and Davis told local reporters about Beverley’s proclaimed revenge this weekend: “That’s fine. He can try . . . we’ll see Sunday.’’

Beverley, who had 10 points and went 4-for-7 from the field, loves to downplay his mind games, and “Charmingate’’ was no exception.

“I got paid a ton of money to post that, and I was late posting it, so I didn’t want the window to close,’’ Beverley said. “Good timing, bad timing, whatever the [expletive]. I’m not out here trying to troll anybody. I’m out here being a basketball player. I’ll let you guys do all that.

“I’m pretty sure Charmin enjoyed this a lot.’’

Lakers star LeBron James, making his return from a right foot injury that cost him 13 games, obviously didn’t enjoy the Beverley experience. He was welcomed back with a loss, and Beverley even gestured to him that he was “too small’’ after hitting a turnaround baby hook over James late in the game.

“I do it to everybody, you know,’’ Beverley said. “Just having fun, getting lost in the game. We’re not construction workers; we’re not guys that have to get up at 4 in the morning. We’re professional basketball players. It’s all about having fun.’’

And, since Beverley joined the Bulls (36-38), it’s all about winning games. Donovan’s squad has won 10 of the 15 games Beverley has played in, and the team is playing its best basketball of the season at just the right time.

Zach LaVine had 32 points and shot 13-for-19 from the field, and the bench was stellar with 48 points, but Beverley’s effect on the Bulls cannot be ignored. This was the same team that blew leads and couldn’t handle adversity all season long.

“Just who [Beverley] is, period, the aura he brings as a competitor, extremely vocal, knowledge of the game . . . small things that go a long way,’’ forward DeMar DeRozan said.

“To have that goes a long way, and you’ve got to feed off that. He holds everybody accountable at any given moment.’’

The Bulls and Beverley aren’t done in Los Angeles, either. On Monday, they play the Clippers, another team that moved on from Beverley.