Longtime rivals Patrick Beverley and Chris Paul engaged in an entertaining back-and-forth exchange during Wednesday’s Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors matchup. The veteran point guards' antics left NBA fans in stitches.
With 6:36 remaining in the second quarter, Paul was called for a loose ball foul for tripping Beverley. After quickly springing back up, Beverley reacted in his typical demonstrative fashion and proceeded to slap Paul on his backside.
The 12-time All-Star attempted to swat Beverley’s arm away, resulting in the Bucks veteran smacking Paul’s backside again before yelling toward the crowd.
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The feisty veterans have a well-documented history of animosity, with Beverley having called Paul out on numerous occasions. So, fans on X/Twitter were highly amused by their latest exchange.
“Never gets old,” one fan said.
“Menace to menace,” another said.
Below are some more of the top fan reactions to the latest chapter in Beverley and Paul’s rivalry:
Chris Paul’s Warriors dominate Patrick Beverley’s Bucks, end Milwaukee’s 6-game winning streak
While Patrick Beverley showcased his signature antics against Chris Paul on Wednesday, the Warriors veteran had the last laugh. His squad blew out Beverley’s Bucks 125-90, snapping their six-game winning streak.
However, neither Paul nor Beverley did the heavy offensive lifting for their respective teams.
Paul finished with six points, two rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two 3-pointers on 40.0% shooting, initiating Golden State’s second-unit offense. Meanwhile, Beverley recorded just two points, four rebounds, one steal and two blocks, missing both of his shot attempts off Milwaukee’s bench.
Golden State was led by superstar point guard Steph Curry and third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga in the statement victory, who combined for 49 points. Meanwhile, Milwaukee received a combined 63 points from superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard as well as big man Bobby Portis.
After a competitive third quarter, where the Bucks mounted a brief comeback, the Warriors ultimately pulled away following a 32-9 fourth-quarter onslaught.
Milwaukee’s (41-22) loss marked its first since the All-Star break, ending its six-game winning streak. On the flip side, Golden State (33-28) has won 14 of its last 18 games.
Following Wednesday’s win, the Warriors are ninth in the Western Conference but are just 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns (36-26). Thus, they have plenty to play for over their remaining 21 games.
Golden State will look to maintain its success when it hosts the Chicago Bulls (30-32) on Thursday. Milwaukee, on the other hand, will look to start a new winning streak when it visits the LA Lakers (34-30) on Friday.
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