The NBA suspended Bucks guard Patrick Beverley four games without pay for throwing a basketball multiple times at Pacers fans in the final minutes of Milwaukee’s Game 6 elimination loss to Indiana and a subsequent “inappropriate interaction” with a reporter during media availability, the league announced Thursday.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the ball-throwing incident, which occurred with roughly two and a half minutes to play. Down 20, Beverley threw a basketball from the team’s bench at a fan sitting behind him. He appeared to miss his target, a male Pacers fan, instead hitting a female Pacers fan in the side of the head before asking for the ball back.
The man collected the ball and tossed it back to Beverley, who immediately over-the-head, double-hand chucked it back at the fan. The fan deflected the ball as Bucks staff and security stepped in, but the fan and Beverley continued to exchange words.
A case report was filed that night after an officer observed the interaction, and detectives are looking into the incident, a police spokesperson previously said. They are working with Gainbridge Fieldhouse to review video footage and plan to speak with those involved. The result of the investigation will be presented to the Marion…
