Posted on April 13, 2022 by urbanbadboys1
Source: David Berding / Getty
If you caught the end of the Tuesday night’s (Apr.12) play-in matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves, you would have thought the playoffs were over and the Wolves won the chip.
It was one shining moment for the Minnesota Timberwolves, especially for Patrick Beverley, who took the matchup with his former team, the Clippers, very personally. Beverley and the Clippers had a bad breakup after the organization decided not to pay him, leading to the scrappy pro telling the Clippers to “pay me or trade me,” the organization opted for the latter.
In the game that we are sure Beverley had circled on his calendar, things were not looking good for him and his Timberwolves early, with Paul George and the Clippers leading for most of the game and keeping that Target Center crowd antsy. Momentum finally swung in favor of the Timberwolves in the fourth quarter, even with their all-star big man, Karl-Anthony Towns, not being a factor in the game and fouling out with seven minutes left to play. Thanks to spirited heroics from D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards on the offensive end and big defensive moments from Patrick Beverly, the Timberwolves won the game, earning themselves a first-round playoff matchup with Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies.
When the game clock hit zero, the celebration in the Target Center was reminiscent of a team that just won an NBA championship. Beverley led the team in celebrating the victory over his former team, hopping up on the scorer’s table, embracing fans, chucking his jersey into the crowd, and hugging his mom while sobbing uncontrollably. Twitter users couldn’t help but compare Beverley’s moment to when the late Kobe Bryant did the same thing after capturing an NBA title.
Pat Beverley after winning the Play-In Game and clinching the 7th seed: pic.twitter.com/sLWYRnfOep
— Alykhan Khamisa Ravjiani (AK) (@AlykhanKR) April 13, 2022
Beverley’s antics didn’t end there. He told the Clippers on the floor to take their asses back home and even had more words for them in a video recorded in the locker room. Beverley talked even more sh*t.
PAT BEV TALKING HIS SHIT
@patbev21 pic.twitter.com/1qn162J7gE
— Overtime (@overtime) April 13, 2022
Of course, when the action left the Target Center and shifted by to Studio J, the Inside The NBA crew of Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley wasted no time clowning the Timberwolves for their celebration.
Inside the NBA joking about the Wolves celebrating their Play In win pic.twitter.com/UdYDi64mKM
— Alex
(@dbs408) April 13, 2022
They took things even further, adding Queen’s classic hit record and the ultimate jock jam, “We Are The Champions,” to the footage of the Timberwolves celebrating their win.
NBA on TNT plays "We Are The Champions" as Patrick Beverley celebrates PLAY-IN Win HAHAHAHA
#NBA #NBAPlayoffs #NBATwitterLive pic.twitter.com/eVf15mdS3e
— Jaxols ξ¨ (@jaxols) April 13, 2022
Even some NBA players hilariously reacted to the moment. Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was one of the first to clown the Timberwolves, simply tweeting three laughing face emojis.
they love bringing me up
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) April 13, 2022
LeBron James, who is now chilling at his mansion on his couch, also shared laughing emojis reacting to the moment.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 13, 2022
Washington Wizards guard Kyle Kuzma tweeted, “Minnesota just won the chip,” followed by laughing emojis.
Minnesota just won the chip
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 13, 2022
The Timberwolves did have some former pro hoopers defending their behavior. ESPN NBA analyst and Stephen A. Smith destroyer JJ Redick said the mocking of the players for celebrating their play-in win seemed wrong to him.
Why do we celebrate NCAA tourney teams winning a one and done scenario but gonna mock NBA players and their fans for doing the sameβ¦seems wrong to me https://t.co/AXQBZYU8pn
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) April 13, 2022
Patrick Beverley would eventually hop on Twitter to defend himself and his team, writing “We celebrating because MINNESOTA DESERVES THIS. A LOT OF PAIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BE HAPPY FOR US.”
We celebrating because MINNESOTA DESERVES THIS. A LOT OF PAIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BE HAPPY FOR US
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) April 13, 2022
Word.
We just hope the Minnesota Timberwolves keep that same energy cause the road to the chip only gets more complicated from here, and Ja Morant and the Grizzlies will be a challenge. That night in the Target Center will forever be a joke if they lose to the Grizzlies. You are not raising any banners for play-in tournament wins.
Photo: David Berding / Getty
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