In the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, guard Patrick Beverley violently shoved Suns big man Deandre Ayton and was suspended as a result.
Beverley maintained after the game that he did so because Ayton was apparently taunting Austin Reaves, who was down on the ground after taking a shot to the face from Devin Booker that was ruled a flagrant foul.
In fact, Reaves came to Beverley’s defense afterward.
In a move that wasn’t exactly surprising, the NBA levied a three-game suspension on Beverley on Thursday. He will be out until Wednesday, Nov. 30 when L.A. hosts the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Lakers may not miss Beverley’s ice-cold shooting (he’s shooting just 26.6 percent overall and 23.8 percent from 3-point range this season), but they will miss his defensive intensity, not to mention his leadership on that end of the floor.
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Story originally appeared on LeBron Wire
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