Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley was emotional and excited when the Timberwolves were able to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team, in a play-in game that would boost the Wolves to the NBA Playoffs..
Minnesota came from behind to defeat Los Angeles 109-104 on Tuesday night, and Beverley could no hide his excitement following the conclusion of the game, from jumping on the Target Center scorer’s table to screaming and celebrating by hugging his mother, Lisa, on the court.
“Man, I wanted this one so bad,” Beverley said, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “This is just the icing on the cake, the cherry on top. Play-in, to be able to beat them … another goal scratched off. I told you we were going to the playoffs. Most of you all, y’all looked at me like I was crazy when I first said that. I f—ing told y’all.”
Bevereley was asked what he said to his old teammates as he celebrated in front of their bench.
“Take they ass home,” Beverley said. “Long flight to L.A. Take they ass home. It’s deeper than that for me. I gave my blood and sweat and tears to that organization. You guys know the story.
“Blood, sweat and tears, to just be written off like that, ‘He’s injury-prone. He’s old.’ This, this, that, that. To be able to come here and play them in a play-in and beat they ass, no other feeling, man. No other feeling.”
The Wolves will now take on the #2 seeded Memphis Grizzlies, with Game 1 taking place on Saturday.
The Clippers will now face the winner of the San Antonio Spurs-New Orleans Pelicans play-in game for the eighth seed.
“They got guys that are a little bit more confident,” Clippers star Paul George said. “His energy and his persona, you know, rubbed off, they made an impact on that roster.
“I know what it was coming into this game. I wasn’t going to allow Pat to do his antics and try to get me flustered. I knew it’s all for show. It’s for the crowd. Gets the crowd involved. I love it. I love it. I miss it. He did it on our side because it’s contagious. I think when he’s in that mode, it ignites the team, ignites the arena. You need energy guys like that.”
