Matthew Dellavedova Justifies Clotheslining Bradley Beal in Bucks vs. Wizards
Milwaukee Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova told reporters his flagrant-2 foul against Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal that resulted in an ejection was not malicious.
"[John] Wall threw the ball up to Beal and I tried to run him off the three," Dellavedova said after the Bucks' 110-103 win on Saturday, according to the Washington Post's Candace Buckner. "He decides to drive it, so I tried to hold him up and he slipped because he went down.
"I was just trying to hold him to prevent him from getting the and-one, and then he just went to the ground."
The foul, which occurred midway through the fourth quarter when Dellavedova appeared to clothesline Beal, can be viewed below:
"He plays super aggressive. Sometime overly aggressive," Beal said, per ESPN.com. "That's just his knack, ever since he came into the league. ... That play was kinda crazy. I understand you want to stop the ball, but there's a right way and a wrong way."
John Wall echoed that sentiment.
"I give credit for him for being a hard player, that's hard-nosed," the Wizards floor general said, according to Buckner. "One of the old-school type of players that play very physical. I give him credit for that. But when it comes to doing dirty plays, I have no respect for it."
The Bucks and Wizards will meet again Jan. 15 at Capital One Arena in what's sure to be a heated rematch.
