Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Patrick Beverley was fined $30,000 by the NBA for “egregious use of profanity” following his team’s 109-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
An emotional Beverley was full of jubilation— and profanity-laced comments— after his Minnesota team knocked off the Clippers, who traded him during the offseason, in the play-in tournament. The win marked the T-Wolves’ first playoff berth in four years and second in 18.
The ever-vocal Beverley was jawing with his former teammates throughout the game as Minnesota pulled off a comeback victory against LA, who was projected to make a run through the postseason now that Paul George is back in the lineup. The Timberwolves will now play the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.
Beverley’s conduct
“Take they ass home,” Beverley of what he said to Clippers players when talking to reporters after the game. “Long flight to L.A. Take they ass home. It’s deeper than that for me. I gave my blood and sweat and tears to that organization. You guys know the story.
The veteran point guard stole the show as soon as the final buzzer sounded, first leaping onto the scorer’s table with outstretched arms and then parading around the court, flaunting himself in front of Clippers players and team owner, Steve Ballmer.
In an Instagram post that is now deleted, Beverley shared a video of him calling LA the “weak-ass Clippers” and later telling them to “get the f— out of here.”
The NBA has rules against swearing in postgame media sessions and proceedings; Beverley violated these.
“Blood, sweat, and tears, to just be written off like that, ‘he’s injury prone, he’s old,’” Beverley recalled. “This, this, that, that. To be able to come here and play them in a play-in and beat they ass, no other feeling man. No other feeling.”
Beverley landed in Minnesota as a part of a deal between the Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies that originally sent the defensive stopper to the land of grit and grind before he was then sent to Minnesota for Juancho Hernangomez and Jarrett Culver. He then signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Timberwolves, an asking price that the Clippers had not been willing to match.
The Tirade Continues
Beverley did not cease fire on the naysayers— or media members— until he had fully delivered his thoughts.
“I told you we were going to the playoffs,” Beverley said. “Most of you all, y’all looked at me like I was crazy when I first said that. I f—ing told y’all.”
This was the Minnesota guard’s second fine in the past week; he was also charged $25,000 for improper conduct with an official after he was ejected with 19.5 seconds left in a game against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Minnesota’s first game against the Grizzlies, the team that sent Beverley to Minnesota, will be on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Clippers will face the New Orleans Pelicans Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
