Malik Beasley had a lot to say in the Pistons’ first-round series against the Knicks, and it culminated in him dropping a pass out of bounds just before he had a chance to tie up Game 6.
Well, even after his brutal miscue that sealed Detroit’s season-ending loss in the 4-2 series against New York, he’s still making some bold claims.
“[Ausar Thompson] was pissed,” Beasley said postgame after the Knicks eliminated the Pistons. “He is the best defender in the world. He felt like he should’ve got a stop on that last possession.”
He then went on to toot his own horn, making an even more audacious claim.
“I’m the best shooter in the world,” Beasley said. “I feel like I should’ve [gotten a shot off] on that last possession.”
Beasley’s case comes from the fact that he led the league in total three-pointers through the final day of the regular season before Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards drilled seven threes on 18 attempts to surpass Beasley, 320 to 319.
Beasley and Edwards were two of just five players to ever make 300 threes in a season.
But Knicks fans will laugh in the face of Beasley’s comments about himself as he struggled mightily with his three-point shot for much of the series.
The 28-year-old shot just 20-of-59 from deep through the six games — that 33.9% rate was down from his regular season posting of 41.6%, which was a career high.
Also, there’s a certain three-point sniper named Stephen Curry that may have something to say about the world’s-best-shooter title.
As for Beasley’s comments surrounding the 22-year-old Thompson, they hold some weight as the youngster is a defensive phenom who did a respectable job on perhaps the best point guard in the league in the series.
“That dude was tough to play against. He’s big time,” Brunson even said about Thompson’s defense after the series. “And I told him straight to his face after the series, he made me work. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”
But again, Knicks fans surely can’t help but scoff at Beasley’s comments, considering how Jalen Brunson practically shook Thompson to the Palace of Auburn Hills with the amount of separation his dribble moves created on his series-winning three-pointer.
Beasley was with Detroit this season on just a one-year deal, making him one of the greatest bang-for-your-buck signings of the season.
He’s shown nothing but love for Detroit and a want to return to the team moving forward, but the “best shooter in the world” could field quite the pay day from other teams this summer.
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