Lakers' Beverley ejected for bowling over Ayton
Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Phoenix Suns after he bodychecked Suns center Deandre Ayton late in the fourth quarter.
Beverley appeared to be reacting to Devin Booker, who was assessed a flagrant-1 foul for a hard hit on Lakers wing Austin Reaves. Ayton was standing near Reaves - who was sprawled on the floor - before Beverley shoved him, causing Ayton to trip over Reaves' legs.
"Got a person on the ground, two people looking over mean-mugging and puffing their chest out, and referees don't get into it to kind of separate it, control the game, so I'm going to stand up for my teammate," Beverley said, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Booker offered some words of advice for Beverley after the game.
"Pat needs to stop pushing people in the back, man. Push them in the chest," he told TNT's Chris Haynes.
The Suns star may have been referencing Game 6 of the 2021 Western Conference finals when Beverley - who played for the Los Angeles Clippers at the time - shoved Chris Paul in the back during the Suns' blowout victory.
Lakers star Anthony Davis, who was standing near Reaves and Ayton when Beverley got involved, defended his teammate postgame.
"We got each other’s back," Davis said, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha. "Pat is known for that: having his teammates' backs.
Davis added that Ayton standing over Reaves while he lay on the ground was "disrespectful."
The Suns defeated the Lakers 115-105, ending L.A.'s three-game winning streak.