NBA declines to give Patrick Beverley the Draymond Green treatment he deserves

The Milwaukee Bucks have an unfortunate situation on their hands with veteran point guard Patrick Beverley.

During Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Bucks and Indiana Pacers, Beverley threw a basketball at fans who were heckling him while the Bucks were taking a timeout.

Indianapolis police are investigating the matter. Meanwhile the NBA handed down some punishment, suspending Beverley for four games.

However, given that Beverley actually hit a fan in the head with one of his throws, one might expect some harsher punishment, similar to what Draymond Green received after hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

NBA refuses to give Beverley punishment he deserves

It seems a bit odd that the NBA isn't punishing Beverley as harshly as they should. The veteran point guard's actions were extreme, and he escalated the situation to a point it did not need to reach. Especially given that this wasn't just between players on the court but a fracas between a player and a fan.

Police being involved in an investigation into the situation certainly shows how serious it is. And to make matters worse, Beverley had a run-in with a reporter after the game, claiming he wouldn't speak to her because she wasn't subscribed to his podcast.

While that in and of itself wouldn't be enough for a suspension, having that happen on top of throwing the ball towards fans does not help Beverley's case.

This also is not the first time Beverley has been suspended for actions on the court. He was suspended for a game in 2021 after shoving Chris Paul in the back following Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.

So, Beverley, much like Green, is a repeat offender and has once again overstepped his bounds by acting in such a way. Green served a 12-game suspension after his physical altercation with Nurkic while the Golden State Warriors were facing the Suns. Nurkic was injured on the play.

But Beverley's actions caused harm to those in the stands and shouldn't be tolerated. Suspending him for just four games seems like too light of a punishment for the veteran point guard, especially given what took place.

Perhaps things could change during the investigation on behalf of the Indianapolis police. If Beverley is charged, it's possible that the NBA could alter the suspension and give him a harsher punishment.

For now, however, the suspension sits at four games. It will be interesting to see if things change as a result of the investigation. The 35-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the playoffs, and this could ultimately affect his free agency.