Patrick Beverley claims he'd have punctured Giannis' 64 point game ball as a Pacer: "Would've poked a hole in that b***h"
Had Patrick Beverley been on the Indiana Pacers, Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn't have gotten the game ball. The Greek Freak set the Milwaukee Bucks' single-game scoring record against the Indiana Pacers with a 64-point outing in a 140-126 win on Wednesday. After the game, however, chaos ensued as the former MVP sought the game ball.
The heated moment saw him ordering Tyrese Haliburton to go get the game ball before Antetokounmpo eventually rushed the tunnel. The Pacers believed the ball should go to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first regular-season points in the regulation game after previously recording one point in the NBA Cup final.
The situation has continued to serve as a major talking point in the NBA community, with members weighing in on both sides. On the "Pat Bev Podcast," Patrick Beverley weighed in.
"I would've poked a hole in that b*tch," Beverley, who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, said. "Beat me? Put 60 on me? Yeah, you can have this ball. Then I thought about it. I would've pealed that b*tch like an orange. Pieces of that b*tch. ... 'You want it? Here!' Or I'll sign that mf, here you go.
"They said they wanted to give it to their rookie ... then I heard they gave him the wrong ball. NBA is a big a** soap opera, and I love this sh*t."
Paul George weighs in on Giannis Antetokounmpo game ball drama after Patrick Beverley weighs in
Since the now-infamous Giannis Antetokounmpo game ball incident, several NBA players, both past and present, have weighed in. In addition to players like Patrick Beverley, staff members and executives are also giving takes.
Mark Cuban shared his perspective, telling TMZ that rookie Oscar Tshiebwe should have gotten the game ball. Had the former Mavericks majority owner been involved, he would have gotten Antetokounmpo's teammates to sign the box score and framed it for the former MVP.
The way Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal sees things, Antetokounmpo should have gotten the game ball, given the historical significance of the moment.
During his "Podcast P" show, Paul George played devil's advocate. He said, that while Tshiebwe deserved the ball, the Pacers overstepped as the away team given that the game took place in Milwaukee.
"That's more of like a home team thing," George said. "For Indiana to take the ball, they're a road team. That's where the problem lies. You don't get that right to just take that ball. You're the road team. The home team gets that ball."
With Patrick Beverley, Paul George and Shaquille O'Neal all weighing in, it's clear NBA players will continue to voice their opinion on the situation.