New York (AFP) – Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley was suspended four games without pay by the NBA on Thursday for forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators, the league announced.
Beverley’s actions came during and just after Milwaukee’s 120-98 loss to Indiana last Thursday at Indianapolis, which gave the Pacers a 4-2 victory over the Bucks in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
The ban would come at the start of the 2024-25 campaign for Beverley.
He was also punished for what the league called an “inappropriate interaction with a reporter” after the contest.
Beverley rejected answering a reporter’s question for not subscribing to his podcast.
In the fourth quarter, Beverley twice hurled basketballs and Pacers supporters seated behind the Milwaukee bench.
Beverley said the Bucks had asked for help earlier in dealing with hecklers and added that the comments directed at Milwaukee players involved more than a reported, “Cancun on three,” remark when the team was preparing to exit a huddle late in the blowout loss.
On his podcast, Beverley called it “an unfortunate situation that never should have happened” and added, “I have to be better and I will be better.”
Beverley was traded from Philadelphia to Milwaukee last February and averaged 6.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists a game for the Bucks in 26 regular-season appearances.
In 12 NBA seasons, Beverley has averaged 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists with Houston, the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota, Chicago, the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia and the Bucks.
© 2024 AFP
