Patrick Beverley Ejected For Cheap-Shot On Suns Big Man

Los Angeles Lakers super-pest Patrick Beverley will be facing some league discipline after hammering Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton from behind during the fourth quarter of Tuesday night's game.

Beverley was apparently taking exception to Ayton standing over the Lakers' Austin Reaves after he was hit in the face by Devin Booker on a violent-looking blocked shot. Running up from behind, Beverley body-checked Ayton hard, and the Suns' big man hit the deck. Chaos ensued as the officials and players on both sides tried to sort out what just happened.

Beverley was ejected from the game, while Booker was assessed a flagrant foul.

This is not the first time Pat Bev has done this sort of thing against the Suns. In the 2021 playoffs, he violently shoved Chris Paul from behind:

After last night's game, Booker had some quick advice for Beverley. 

"Pat needs to stop pushing people in the back. Push 'em in the chest. That's all I got to say, man." 

Suns coach Monty Williams had a bit more to say, however. “I just think the league needs to take a look at those kinds of plays,” Williams said. "When you push a guy when he’s not looking like that, that’s just not called for. There’s going to be physicality, there’s going to be tension in games... (But) If you’re standing face-to-face with a guy, and you have words or may tussle a little bit, like, that’s normal for the NBA. But to continue to do that, it’s just out of control.”

The NBA will undoubtedly be the next to have its say on the incident.

 Photo: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic-USA TODAY Sports