‘Dangerous’: Suns coach Monty Williams critical of Patrick Beverley’s flagrant 1 on Chris Paul

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Game 5 was almost over.

Fans were exiting Phoenix Suns Arena early as the Suns failed to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals after losing Game 5 of the Western Conference finals to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The ones who stuck around for the final buzzer near the Clippers bench saw Patrick Beverley walking closer and closer and closer to them.

The more they screamed at him, the more he egged them on.

That’s Beverley, the one who revels in being the bad guy, feeds off boos on the road and the cheers at home. His aggressive style is applauded by some who view it as playing hard and with intensity and frowned upon by others who believe he crosses the line.

Suns coach Monty Williams felt Beverley did more of the latter in drawing a flagrant 1 penalty for his foul on Chris Paul with 5:53 left in the third quarter.

“Some of the stuff that’s happening, it is what it is, but when a guy does that kind of stuff consistently,” Williams said after Game 5. “What do you say as a coach? I can call the league. I can talk to the officials in the NBA. It doesn’t do anything until something is done about it. Those kind of plays are dangerous.”

Williams didn’t think it was a dirty play by Beverley, but certainly took issue with it as the Suns and Clippers will resume their Western Conference finals Wednesday at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles with Phoenix holding a 3-2 series lead.

“I think even when you’re playing with a certain degree of aggressiveness, it can come off the wrong way,” Williams added. 

Trying to get around a screen set by Deandre Ayton, Beverley collided with Paul, who immediately fell to the floor after going up for a shot and came down hard on his back.

Paul also grabbed at his groin area after the play.

That led to a course of boos from the sellout crowd of 16,664 and Beverley making them boo even louder as he mocked the play seemingly to suggest Paul flopped.

The play was reviewed and deemed a flagrant 1 on Beverley.

After Game 5, Paul said he’ll be “alright,” but Williams wasn’t happy about seeing his All-Star point guard fall in a heap after the contact. Paul has had his share of injuries in the postseason as recent as a shoulder injury suffered in Game 1 of the opening series against the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams discusses Patrick Beverley’s flagrant 1 on Chris Paul in Monday’s Game 5 loss. Arizona Republic

June 28, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Clippers’ Paul George (13) lays on the ground after drawing a foul against the Suns during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals at the Phoenix Suns Arena. Patrick Breen-Arizona Republic

 (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

“Jae gets a flagrant for touching a guy in the face,” said Williams about Jae Crowder’s flagrant 1 on Paul George in the fourth quarter Monday. “That play with Chris? I’ve got to watch it more on the film, but we can’t let those kind of plays get into our heads. They were physical tonight and that was an example of it. I want to watch the film before I make a declaration about that play, but they played desperate.”

Going into this best-of-7 series, BetOnline.ag calculated George being Arizona’s most “hated” NBA player based on based on geotagged Twitter data.

George and Devin Booker had a heated verbal exchange in the first regular-season meeting between the Clippers and Suns this year, but Beverley is likely gaining round in the most hated department for the state of Arizona. 

Arizona NBA fans evidently really don’t like Paul George.

 (Photo: BetOnline)

Paul George and Devin Booker got into a verbal altercation during the fourth quarter of Phoenix’s 112-107 loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Clippers. Arizona Republic

Beverley already got Suns fans in an uproar for his nose-to-forehead collision with Booker in Game 2 when he lunged forward to steal the ball while the two-time All-Star looked to make a move off the dribble.

Booker ended up suffering a broken nose that required a procedure and has had to wear a protective mask since.

Beverley proceeded to lead the defensive charge on Booker in Game 3 in Los Angeles the Clippers won, 106-92, as Booker scored a career playoff-low 15 points.

This led to questions about Beverley’s defensive play on Booker, who shot a combined 10-of-37 in Game 2 and 3.

“He’s ultra aggressive,” Booker said after Game 3. “He’s denying, limiting touches. He has one objective out there and we understand that. I feel like other things should open up.”

Devin Booker talks about his nose and the defense Patrick Beverley is playing on him after Thursday’s Game 3 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Arizona Republic

Booker answered with a 25-point performance in Game 4 and scored 31 in Game 5 as he made an adjustment to the mask between the two games.

“Just opened up the eye pocket to see a little bit better,” Booker said.

Then in Game 5, Beverley and Paul were battling right from the tip as Beverley stole the ball from Paul with 9:17 left in the first quarter as the Clippers built an early 20-5 lead.

“I thought Pat Beverley really did a good job defensively and started that early surge where we got out in transition and got some early ball movement,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said after Game 5.

The Paul-Beverley battle reached an apex with the flagrant 1 that outraged Suns fans.

Then as they were leaving the arena early Monday night, Beverley made the ones who stuck around to the end even more upset.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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