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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards and Matthew Dellavedova #8 of the Milwaukee Bucks are separated after Dellavedova fouled Beal and ejected in the second half at Capital One Arena on January 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards and Matthew Dellavedova #8 of the Milwaukee Bucks are separated after Dellavedova fouled Beal and ejected in the second half at Capital One Arena on January 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)Rob Carr/Getty Images

Matthew Dellavedova Justifies Clotheslining Bradley Beal in Bucks vs. Wizards

Alec Nathan
Jan 6, 2018

Milwaukee Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova told reporters his flagrant-2 foul against Washington Wizards guard Bradley Bealย that resulted in an ejection was not malicious.ย 

"[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 theย 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."ย 

The foul, which occurred midway through the fourth quarter when Dellavedova appeared to clothesline Beal, can be viewed below:ย 

"He plays super aggressive. Sometime overly aggressive," Beal said, perย 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.ย 

"I give credit for him for being a hard player, that's hard-nosed," the Wizards floor general said, according toย 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.

Suns-Pistons Preseason Fight ๐Ÿ˜ณ