Things got testy in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s game between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers. Suns star Devin Booker tried to contest an effort by Lakers guard Austin Reaves, but got a little too much of his face and would get hit with a Flagrant 1 foul.
Reaves hit the deck as a result, and in the aftermath, both Booker and Deandre Ayton would stand over him. This drew the ire of one of Reaves’ teammates, so Patrick Beverley came running in and shoved Ayton, who would fall to the ground after stumbling over Reaves.
Patrick Beverley shoves Deandre Ayton#NBATwitterpic.twitter.com/ATr043SUkM
— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) November 23, 2022
I love PatBev but you can’t just throw a shoulder into a dude WHO WASN’T EVEN INVOLVED IN ANYTHING pic.twitter.com/ize9qn8f4r
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) November 23, 2022
Ayton’s teammates came running in, and while a full-blown fight did not break out, the teams had to be separated before the officials sat down to figure out what punishments to hand out for all of this. While Beverley would go on to get ejected, the Flagrant 1 foul assessed to Booker meant that Reaves would go on to shoot free throws.
When asked about the incident on TNT after the game, Booker expressed that he doesn’t like that Beverley shoved Ayton’s back, and said if he’s going to do that, he should shove Ayton’s chest.
“Pat needs to stop pushing people in the back, push them in the chest” -Devin Booker pic.twitter.com/gaqQ2M58WA
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) November 23, 2022
The Suns would pick up a 115-105 win on the evening.