Patrick Beverley Felt Ejection vs. Nets 'Set the Tone' for 76ers

Patrick Beverley felt he set the tone for the Sixers on Monday night against the Nets.
Patrick Beverley Felt Ejection vs. Nets 'Set the Tone' for 76ers
Patrick Beverley Felt Ejection vs. Nets 'Set the Tone' for 76ers /

Patrick Beverley inserted himself into fan-favorite territory on Monday night as the Philadelphia 76ers battled it out with the Brooklyn Nets for their third preseason matchup of the season.

The Sixers’ fan base loves a gritty defensive player who plays with a chip on his shoulder and doesn’t back down from the competition. 

Therefore, Beverley’s decision to defend Philly rookie Filip Petrusev on Monday night scored him major points with the fan base — and the fact that Ben Simmons was the player Beverley jawed at got the veteran guard extra credit as well.

“I was locked in, too, in the locker room … They kicked me out. I set the tone,” Beverley said the following morning before he prepared to do an episode of The Pat Bev Pod. “Ben Simmons was [expletive] with my Filip, with an F. It takes a special person to [expletive] with a guy named Filip with an F. I told him pick on somebody your own size.”

With a little over eight minutes left to go in Monday’s preseason game, the former Sixers All-Star committed a hard foul on Petrusev in the paint. Shortly after, Beverley stood up from the Sixers’ bench and exchanged words with Simmons, which led to a technical foul for both players.

Considering it was Beverley’s second tech, he got the boot and was sent back to the locker room eight minutes early. When he checked out, Beverley finished the night with six points, four rebounds, and three assists in 18 minutes of action.

Ejections aren’t typically applauded from a team perspective, but Beverley’s actions won’t necessarily have a negative reaction within the organization. Since joining the 76ers, Beverley’s attitude has been positive for the team, especially for younger guys in Petrusev’s position.

Monday’s events were just another example of Beverley showing support for a young prospect who’s trying to battle for a role in the rotation while also proving to the Sixers that he’s embracing the enforcer role, which is something they’ve lacked in seasons past.

It might not always go over well, as technicals and ejections aren’t going away, but Beverley understands he was brought to Philly to set a tone. He felt he did that on Monday night against a division rival ahead of the regular season. 


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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA