Lakers News: NBA Twitter Talks "Shovegate"
Near the conclusion of your Los Angeles Lakers' eventual 115-105 road loss to the Phoenix Suns, Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves was fighting with Devin Booker for rebound positioning. Booker pushed and fouled Reaves, before standing over him and apparently yelling something untoward. Starting L.A. center Deandre Ayton then stood over Reaves, still on the hardwood.
Patrick Beverley, still almost inexplicably the Lakers' starting point guard, then opted to punish Ayton for trying to intimidate Reaves by shoving him in the back:
PAT BEV PUSHED AYTON 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/Ud8exqG22F
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 23, 2022
NBA Twitter was thoroughly divided on whether Beverley was in the right to violently shove a guy from behind when his attention was elsewhere and there was a stoppage in play (spoiler alert: he was not).
Bill Simmons snuck in a quick dig:
New BS Podcast w/ @haralabob covering the NBA’s Wild Wild West, one-trade-away teams, Bob’s West Sleeper, the Light The Beamers, Bob’s Spanish soccer owner tricks and Crypto’s recent swoon.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 23, 2022
Not covered: Pat Bev shoving dudes when they aren’t looking. https://t.co/rKy5a0QeQ5
Hoops head Kenny Beacham seemed to applaud the intensity, albeit while finding it all pretty funny:
😂😭😂 Pat Bev is a crazy mf
— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) November 23, 2022
FanDuel personality Eddie Gonzalez noted that Patrick Beverley has essentially become a hockey enforcer-like presence for the Lakers. This is fair.
Outside of some rebounds and occasionally steals and assists, stirring up his team by riling up the opposition is kind of his main job. This writer is disappointed and thought Beverley had more to give in terms of actual basketball, but it seems like the only thing he gets really excited for is shoving guys in the back while the game action is stopped. Here he is doing the same thing to Chris Paul a few years back:
Patrick Beverley was ejected for shoving Chris Paul. Pat Bev and CP3 have been going at it all series. Clippers are heading home after making their first Conference Finals appearance. Paul will advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in his Hall of Fame career. pic.twitter.com/ifSTJhqIpL
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 1, 2021
Anyway, back to Twitter reactions from this latest shove against a Suns player.
Somewhere Pat Bev is pushing a door that clearly says “pull”.
— Luke Lapinski (@LukeLapinski) November 23, 2022
Lapinski hosts a radio show on 98.7 FM Arizona Sports. He's not wrong.
Beverley really can't do a whole lot on a basketball court as an actual player these days, so if he is suspended, it may help clarify Darvin Ham's rotation.
Thank you for doing that, Pat Bev. Lakers bout to benefit from your suspension now. pic.twitter.com/bdchNnqg5K
— Juan 🇸🇻 (@LOLL________) November 23, 2022
A surprising number of NBA fans (well, maybe not that surprising, given that this is one of the more violent countries in the world) were... in favor of Beverley's shove for its "team-building" properties.
.@patbev21 is the ultimate teammate. Love to see him standing up for his guys pic.twitter.com/gFQBxbnkcZ
— Steven Cheah (@StevenCheah) November 23, 2022
The reason this "ultimate teammate" decided to shove Ayton from behind rather than trying to start anything to his face was probably just one of physical savvy. Ayton has 10 inches of height and 70 inches of mass more than the 6'1", 180-pound reserve point guard Beverley.
You did nothing wrong @patbev21. Always have your teammates back.
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) November 23, 2022
Remember: Patrick Beverley himself conceded that the shove was a mistake.
I obviously don't condone violence on the basketball court, but I don't hate the way PatBev defended Austin Reaves by bumping down Ayton, who was standing over Reaves taunting him AFTER Booker smashed Reaves in the face on a follow-through foul and stood over him. Yes, sir, PB.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 23, 2022
What's that? You thought Skip was going to offer up a smart and insightful take and not some BS "I don't condone violence but way to bring the violence dude" nonsense? Do you even hear yourself right now?
Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation was also weirdly in favor.
Can understand why Pat Bev did what he did. Stepped up to protect his teammate. Probably has a suspension coming
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) November 23, 2022
There was some sanity to be found elsewhere, thankfully.
People are defending Pat Bev, and that’s how I know people will defend anything.
— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) November 23, 2022
Are the Lakers experiencing buyer's remorse after having dealt for a broken-down Pat Bev in the summer?
And here are some humorous takes about the whole thing, at that:
thank god pat bev is there to *checks notes* start a fight
— claire de lune (@ClaireMPLS) November 23, 2022
Yes, what an... important service he provides.
Pat Bev is the biggest smallest bitch in the league
— Love Always💙 (@angelinams112) November 23, 2022
I think calling Beverley 6'1" might just be generous.
I appreciated PatBev standing up for his teammate. It's a tone setting move that the Lakers frankly need. That said, it was a dangerous shove that really could've hurt Ayton and I think a 66 game suspension shouldn't be off the table. Maybe longer depending on how the season goes
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) November 23, 2022
Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen and Roll has the right idea there...
pat bev getting ready to shove an opposing player when their back is turned pic.twitter.com/cdOEGvrq0M
— buckets (@buckets) November 23, 2022
Ouch but also, it is his speciality.
When Pat Bev see Ayton after the game https://t.co/84CWbBIIRO
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) November 23, 2022
"What is that?" indeed.
A fan took to accusing Devin Booker of enacting unsafe behind-the-back shoves as well in his day. And he brought receipts (see above)!