Villanueva, Anderson interrupted Thunder pre-game dance routine

DALLAS – Before Game 2 even started Monday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, the Dallas Mavericks tried to get in the heads of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While Thunder guards Russell Westbrook and Cameron Payne were doing a their pre-game dance routine near the scorer’s table, Mavs forward Charlie Villanueva interrupted the proceedings by casually walking between the duo. Westbrook pushed Villanueva aside and kept dancing with Payne.

Shortly thereafter, Mavs rookie Justin Anderson tried to hop in, but he too was pushed away by Westbrook.

"That’s for the guys who don’t play,’’ Westbrook said, when asked about the incident. "Gotta do something.’’

Villanueva didn’t play in Game 2, but Anderson played 14 minutes and finished with six points, five rebounds and a huge late blocked shot on Kevin Durant. Asked about the pre-game dust-up, Anderson said:

"Nothing happened. (Westbrook) was doing his, they call it the hit-back folks, with Cameron Payne that they always do and I think Charlie got in the middle just to get his feet wet or whatever. It was nothing.

"Both teams were ready to play, and you could see it. Both teams were ready to play.’’

The referees apparently were unaware of the incident, and coach Rick Carlisle didn’t know about it, either, until he was asked today by a media member.

"I was unaware of it,’’ Carlisle said. "I’m fore more concerned with the matchups, anticipating moves that they could make, anticipating lineup changes that they could make and things like that.

"Something going on with the pre-game routine is not high on my list.’’

Whether the moves by Villanueva and Anderson worked, no one knows for sure. But the Mavs did recover from losing Game 1 to the Thunder by 38 points to pulling off an 85-84 upset victory in Game 2.

The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1, with Game 3 set for Thursday night at 6 at American Airlines Center.

Dwain Price can be heard every Wednesday from 3-4 p.m. on dfwiradio.com

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Villanueva, Anderson interrupted Thunder pre-game dance routine."