Lakers News: Russell Westbrook Thinks Patrick Beverley Shove Proof Of Team Chemistry
Your Los Angeles Lakers fought valiantly while still chalking up a 115-105 Tuesday loss to a Phoenix Suns team that is just plain better, even without Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson or Jae Crowder.
Just three days removed from the game that dropped L.A. to a less-than-stellar 5-11 record on the year (including an 0-6 road start), the particulars of the loss, and/or of Anthony Davis's terrific performance in that defeat, begin to fade away.
And, annoyingly, only one low moment remains: the phenomenon I have heard absolutely no one call "shovegate", but if you've got a better dumb nickname for it... keep it to yourself, honestly. We're going with shovegate and that's that!
Let's just say Twitter was -- get this -- divided on the issue of whether Pat Bev's on-court shove of Suns center Deandre Ayton, during a dead ball moment while the Phoenix big's back was turned, should be considered a big, punishable deal.
The NBA certainly thought it was, and yesterday announced it would suspend Beverley for the Lakers' next three contests, the first of which will tip off tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
Beverley's teammate (and, technically, backup, though he's been much better than Beverley this season after the shift) Russell Westbrook stood up for his comrade's decision to stand up for Austin Reaves, whom Ayton had been hovering over for a bit.
"I mean I love it, personally," Westbrook said of shovegate. "Protecting and understanding that we have each other's back is the most important part of a team."
During the Lakers' latest game against the Suns, the UCLA product made 21 field goals on 8-of-20 shooting from the floor. He also chipped in five dime and three rebounds. Beverley, meanwhile, went scoreless in 29 minutes of action, though his much-ballyhooed defense seems to be needed along the perimeter.
