The NBA suspends the Bucks’ Patrick Beverley for four games

The NBA has suspended Bucks guard Patrick Beverley for four games without pay for throwing a basketball several times at fans and engaging in “an inappropriate interaction” with an ESPN producer after Game 6 of the Milwaukee series against the Indiana Pacers last week.

Indianapolis police also announced Wednesday that they have opened an investigation into an “NBA player-citizen” altercation that took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after Beverley threw a ball into the stands multiple times.

Police said in a news release that the case had been referred to investigators “who are currently investigating this situation and are taking all allegations seriously.”

Detectives will present the case to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office after the investigation is complete, the release said.

Cameras showed Beverley sitting on the bench and throwing a ball into the stands, hitting a fan in the head about two and a half minutes before the end of Thursday’s contest. After another fan threw the ball back to Beverley, who extended his arm to do so, the Bucks guard fired it back at that spectator.

Beverley spoke about his behavior on an episode of “The Pat Bev Podcast” released Wednesday. He said he had been called a word he had never been called before, but added that his own actions were “still inexcusable.”

“I’ll feel better,” he said. “I have to get better, and I will be better. This should never have happened. No matter what was said, this should never have happened. As simple as that.”

After the game, Beverley did not allow ESPN producer Malinda Adams to ask him a question in a group interview in the locker room. He said it was because she wasn’t subscribed to his podcast. Beverley told her to move her microphone away from his face and eventually asked her to leave the interview circle.

On his podcast Wednesday, Beverley said he has requested this from reporters who have interviewed him since starting his podcast. Beverley said he told Adams that “it was never my intention to disrespect you.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.