Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley suspended for 3 matches for “strong shoving” phoenix sun center Deandre Ayton when the big man failed to look and sent him to the ground during LA’s game against the Suns on Tuesday, the NBA announced on Thursday.
In the federation’s statement, led by executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars, the suspension was explained as “partially based on Beverley’s history of unsportsmanlike conduct.”
The suspension is unpaid and will cost Beverley $268,965 in wages, according to Bobby Marks, who is in ESPN’s main office.
Beverley will miss Lakers matchups against San Antonio Spurs on Friday and Saturday and also their home game on Monday against Indiana Pacers.
Beverley was rated for a technical foul and sent off for running into Ayton after Ayton stood in front of the Lakers swinger Austin Reaveswhile Reaves lay on the floor after a rough foul by the Suns . guard Booker Devin. The sequence came with 3:55 remaining in the fourth inning after the Lakers’ 115-105 loss at Phoenix.
After the game, Beverley said he was “certainly” concerned that the federation would discipline him for his actions and added that he would accept the punishment that had been given.
“I’m very unprofessional myself. Surely I could have reacted in a different way,” he said. “So yeah, I’m a big boy. I’ll take my lump either way.”
However, just before the suspension was announced on Thanksgiving afternoon, Beverley tweeted with a different tone.
Before Tuesday’s incident, during the 2021 Western Conference finals and with the Suns on the verge of beating the LA Clippers to qualify for the championship, Beverley — then with the Clips — to push protect the sun Chris Paul behind.
Beverley is averaging 4.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 14 appearances for the Lakers. He is scoring the lowest points of his career from the pitch (26.6%) and the 3-point line (23.8%).
