Beal Unleashed! Sun’s Star Bradley Beal Fires Back at Critics Over Midair Shove
The Phoenix Suns dropped a 116-98 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, a performance that Phoenix forward Kevin Durant said he was ’embarrassed’ by afterward.
The Suns’ performance included Beal’s controversial midair push of the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, a play Beal later commented on in a video posted to X on Monday that was viewed over 54,000 times.
Beal took issue with the Timberwolves’ late game decisions as the waning minutes of the game ticked away, with coach Chris Finch’s team enjoying an insurmountable fourth quarter lead.
Beal said that he and his teammates had “already seen enough” highlights from the Timberwolves, a mindset that appeared to prompt his decision to push Edwards as he skied for an alley oop slam dunk attempt.
The play happened with Minnesota leading 112-93 and less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Replays showed a slow-motion perspective of Beal’s two-hand shove on Edwards’ stomach as he attempted to throw down a bounce pass from Timberwolves teammate Donte DiVincenzo.
Beal was given a Flagrant 1 foul on the play with some critics calling for a Flagrant 2, which includes an ejection from the game.
Beal said he had no intention of hurting anyone on the play.
“We both have every right to feel…Both sides have every right to feel…Do what they do,” Beal added.
