Camila Sosa
The city of Minnesota will be abuzz with jubilation after the Minnesota Timberwolves qualified for the NBA postseason for the first time since 2018 — and for just the second time since 2004 — by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament 109-104 with a last-quarter rally. Emotions ran high at the Target Center, especially for Patrick Beverley, who ended up being fined after not measuring his words after the game.
While you might think Patrick Beverley would be rather restrained in his celebration considering he beat the team he was under contract with from 2017 to 2021, nothing could be further from the truth. As soon as the game was over and the Minnesota Timberwolves consummated the comeback, Patrick Beverley was one of the first players to celebrate euphorically with the fans, climbing up on the officials’ table and throwing his apparel into the cheering crowd.
The celebration continued in the locker room, and Patrick Beverley was quick to go live on social media talking to his followers. “I told you we were going to the playoffs. Most of you all, y’all looked at me like I was crazy when I first said that. I f—ing told y’all,” said the point guard, who also had a few exaggerated words for his former team.
While he was a bit calmer at the post-game press conference, Patrick Beverley did not moderate his language when asked what he said to his former Clippers teammates on the bench after the win. “Take they ass home. Long flight to L.A., take y’all ass home.”
This euphoric celebration would end up costing Patrick Beverley dearly, as the NBA fined him a total of $30,000 for “inappropriate statements during a media interview and on social media, including the egregious use of profanity.”
Patrick Beverley also clarified a bit about his behavior in that interview. ‘”To just be written off like that, ‘oh he’s injury prone, he’s old,’ to be able to come here, play them in a play-in and beat they ass, no other feeling [like it].”
An Expensive Stretch of the Season for Patrick Beverley
This was not the first time this season that Patrick Beverley has received some sort of reprimand for his behavior, as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ final regular season game also saw him display some inappropriate behavior.
The Timberwolves’ #22 was fined $25,000 following his team’s 124-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls in the final game of the regular season after displaying inappropriate conduct in front of an official after being ejected from the game for committing two technical fouls.
Beyond this, he may care little: his team is in the postseason, he enjoyed the moment to the fullest and now he will only have to prepare for the upcoming series against the second seed of the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies.
