Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle says Thunder plays dirty basketball

Shortly after his interview session with the media started Friday, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called out Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant for throwing an “intentional unprovoked elbow” that landed squarely in the chest of Dallas rookie center Salah Mejri.

Apparently, the NBA agreed with Carlisle. On Friday, the league issued Durant a technical foul for a “physical taunt’’ stemming from the elbow that hit Mejri.

Carlisle also brought up other physical play by the Thunder that he noted led to Game 3 getting chippy at times. The Thunder won 131-102 and lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1.

“There were four, what I would characterize as non-basketball physical escalations that were initiated by them,” Carlisle said. “Including one intentional unprovoked elbow at the free throw line which I didn’t understand, and I’ve never seen a guy like Kevin Durant ever do that to a player.

As Mavericks guard J.J. Barea made his second of two free throws with 7:29 remaining in the third quarter, Durant elbowed Mejri in the chest.

“It wasn’t caught [by the referees],” Carlisle said, “and that led to two other escalations that happened after that.”

Some 10 seconds later, Mavericks guard Raymond Felton and 7-foot Thunder center Steven Adams got tangled up and heated words were exchanged. After the referees watched a replay of the fracas, they each received a technical foul.

“You know, just because I’m 6-1, I ain’t going to back down for nothing,” Felton said. “I ain’t going to let anybody hit me in the face and let that go.

“But whatever, it’s in the game, it’s over with now, not going to worry about it anymore, on to the next game. It happens, games get chippy, everybody fights for something, gets emotional, trash talking, back and forth, it’s all in the game.”

Less than three minutes after the Adams-Felton confrontation, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki and Thunder guard Andre Roberson jawed at each other and had to be separated.

Nowitzki described his dust-up with Roberson as emotions overload.

“I just thought, on back-to-back plays, he tried to run through me, and then we just had a few words,” Nowitzki said. “I know he’s a good kid, and that’s part of a playoff series — that’s no hard feelings.

“Just in a game, sometimes emotions are going to run high and there’s some stuff discussed that’s no big deal after the game.”

He also the Mavericks may need to initiate the physical style of play instead of reacting to the Thunder’s aggression in Game 4 of this best-of-seven series. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Saturday at the AAC. .

“We’re not looking to do it unless it’s within the rules,” Carlisle said. “There were some things that I know are going to be looked at [Friday] that going into Game 4 that we’re going to be ready for.”

The Mavericks seem to believe that the Thunder is breaking NBA rules with their aggressive style of play, and a simmering rivalry has suddenly brewed.

Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Nowitzki and Barea are adept at gamesmanship, and at drawing fouls.

“What did I shoot, three free throws Thursday?’’ Nowitzki asked. “The way they’re all over me, I don’t think I’ve drawn a lot [of fouls].”

Nowitzki is befuddled that Donovan spoke of gamesmanship when it is the Thunder which is throwing the Mavericks around.

“You’re not going to get an award for gamesmanship in the playoffs,” Nowitzki said. “You’re trying to win, you’re trying to compete.

“Like I said yesterday, usually in Game 1, Game 2, you kind of feel each other out. By Game 3, you hate each other. There’s stuff happening left and right [Thursday] in the game, and that’s just part of it.”

The Mavericks knows that “stuff” needs to tip in their favor Saturday. Otherwise, the Thunder could close out this series at home Monday.

“They were clearly the initiators Thursday night and we’ve got to be more aggressive,” Carlisle said. “That’s the bottom line.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle says Thunder plays dirty basketball."