Patrick Beverley: Suns ‘should’ve benched Chris (Paul)’ in Game 7 vs. Mavericks
May 16, 2022, 9:47 AM | Updated: 12:06 pm
The Phoenix Suns’ journey back to the NBA Finals came to a screeching halt following a Game 7 loss in the Western Conference semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.
And while the large majority of the state is in mourning, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley is reveling in Phoenix’s demise on the national level.
Especially when it comes down to point guard Chris Paul and the benching of center Deandre Ayton.
“First off, I’m going to get a lot for this but you know I don’t really care, they benched the wrong person,” Beverley told ESPN’s Get Up on Monday. “They should’ve benched Chris. And I’m not saying bench him now, once you see them attacking Chris early and you know that might be a problem later on, you need to see how that team works without Chris in the game a little bit.
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“I’ve been benched, we won though, so you don’t even remember that. As a coach you have to understand that. … That’s no fault against Monty, he’s a great coach, Coach of the Year, but (Tyronn Lue)? If T-Lue’s there, he’s making that decision. It’s a hard decision but he’s making it.”
It was another playoff game to forget for Paul, who finished with 10 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal over 31 minutes in the defeat. He posted a plus-minus of minus-39. Ayton saw just 17 minutes of action in the loss, recording five points, four rebounds and two assists.
Beverley’s comments come after the guard posted multiple tweets about Paul and the Suns, including one insinuating an injury would come to light following the game. It was later reported Paul is dealing with a left quad injury.
Then came the topic of defense, with Beverley doubling down on the Paul slander, comparing him to a stationary object.
“He can’t guard, he literally can’t guard, everyone knows that,” Beverley said. “Everybody knows that, what we call him? Cone. You know what you do with cones? In the summertime you got a cone, you make a move, what does a cone do? … He’s a cone. … Give him the Ben Simmons slander, the (Paul George) slander that you give everybody.”
Even when Beverley was throwing some kind of compliment Paul’s way, there was still plenty of shade to be had.
“CP3, is he going to be a Hall of Famer? No question about it,” Beverley added. “Do guys in the NBA go to sleep early the night before playing the Phoenix Suns (and Paul)? Hell no.
"Do guys in the NBA go to sleep early the night before playing the Phoenix Suns? Hell no. … I'm going to Steak 44 … have me a nice little wine … Steph Curry? I'm going to bed at 8 o'clock. … Mom, don't call me. My girl, don't call me."
—@patbev21 on @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/PRgY1ZUPNT
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2022
“I’m going to Steak 44 … have me a nice little wine. … Steph Curry? I’m going to bed at 8 p.m. … Mom, don’t call me. My girl, don’t call me.”
Beverley didn’t stop at Paul, either, making it known just what others around the league think about the Suns as a team.
“It ain’t about Luka (Doncic) taking their soul, they knew at the start of the game what was going to happen,” Beverley said on ESPN’s First Take. “They hear me saying, ‘He did it to me, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George. Damn sure he going to do it to them. They know that.’
"No one is afraid of Phoenix"
🗣️ Patrick Beverley on First Takepic.twitter.com/hkBZieLr2Q
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 16, 2022
“Boys are scared of Luka, ain’t nobody afraid of anybody there in Phoenix. Everybody in the league knows that. … No one’s afraid of Phoenix. We wanted them. … When you face Dallas, you’re not scared of Dallas but you got to get your game right when you play Luka.”
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