Patrick Beverley's Shove From Behind Reminiscent of Nikola Jokic's Blindsiding Former Miami Heat Player Markieff Morris
Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley has long been considered one of the NBA's dirtiest players and he only added to that reputation Tuesday.
Beverley was ejected during their game after shoving Phoenix Suns center DeAndre Ayton from behind. The play caused Ayton to the ground. Beverley was reacting to Ayton standing over Lakers teammate Austin Reaves. Beverley, a former Miami Heat player, ran from across the court to blindside Ayton
"Got a person on the ground, two people looking over mean-mugging and puffing their chest out and referees don't get into it to kind of separate it, control the game, so I'm going to stand up for my teammate," Beverley told reporters after the game.
The play was similar to when Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic shoved former Miami Heat player Markieff Morris to the ground last season. Morris, now with the Brooklyn Nets, missed 58 games with a neck injury because of the cheap shot.
Beverley's shove obviously wasn't as powerful as the 284-pound Jokic's on Morris. Ayton even said "He ain't hurt me, he didn't take nothing out of my pocket and I ain't react."
Still, Suns coach Monty Williams said plays as such are dangerous for the game.
"I just think the league needs to take a look at those kinds of plays; they're just unnecessary," Williams said. "It's just getting silly. That's the only word I can come up with."
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