We all know how intense the NBA Playoffs can get, but Los Angeles Lakers point guard Patrick Beverley recently revealed how truly extreme things can get in the postseason.
Back in 2013, Patrick Beverley was a member of the Houston Rockets, and during the first round of the playoffs that year, they were squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder — a powerhouse that featured Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
While talking on “The Pat Bev Podcast,” Beverly went down memory lane and spoke about a second quarter play in which tried to steal the basketball away from Westbrook. It would go on to cause a ton of controversy after.
Instead, Beverly made contact with Westbrook’s knee and the latter tore his meniscus. It was later revealed that Westbrook was out for the rest of the postseason and ended up undergoing surgery, which in turn made Oklahoma City hate him, including a ball boy who apparently wanted to kill him, according to ESPN.
“I had a ball boy threaten to kill me… I get to OKC the next game, it’s police officers in front, they put a police car in front of my house in Houston.”
Patrick Beverley on getting death threats after Russell Westbrook’s injury in 2013
(via @PatBevPod)pic.twitter.com/XUasP9k63f
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) November 16, 2022
What’s funny about this is the fact that Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley are now teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Did they end up catching this ball boy, by the way?
The reported “I’m coming to kill you” tweet was investigated by Oklahoma City Police, according to News 9. The boy then apparently apologized, deleted the tweet and all other related posts after claiming to have been hacked (I’m definitely calling BS on that one). (RELATED: LeBron Claims He Needs To ‘Learn How To Flop’ In Sweet Irony)
Regardless of the crazy situation, I knew people in the South got intense about sports, especially football, but we got Oklahoma City ball boys out here apparently threatening to kill NBA players? Obviously I don’t condone any of that nonsense, but what an insane story. I love the Patrick Beverly quote at the end of the clip when he was asked if he was scared about the situation.
“Hell no. I wish I would have run into his ass. I would have beat the shit [out of him],” he said.
You got to love the passion that sports brings out in people, both positive and negative.