It has been a crazy week in the NBA. Tensions have been high, with three altercations between players and another instance of inexplicable player-referee discord.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thinks it's all too ridiculous:
"Oh, you mean a typical NBA fight where they go, ‘Let me at him, let me at him. I’m gonna kick his ass, somebody hold me back,’ ” he joked. “The NBA fights are the silliest, namby-pambiest things I’ve ever seen my life. Except there was that one in the stands a few years ago. That one got ugly.”
Yeah, Indiana Pacers fans are familiar with that one.
Here are the highlights. Or maybe it's lowlights.
Round 1
The streak started Monday night when the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets (where former longtime Clipper Chris Paul now plays) got chippy:
The squabble continued after the game as some Rockets players tried to get to the Clippers locker room. The police were called. That amused "NBA on TNT" analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley:
Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green of the Rockets were suspended.
Round 2
On Tuesday, Orlando's Arron Afflalo took a wild swing at Minnesota's Nemanja Bjelica:
Round 3
Wednesday's altercation featured Charlotte's Michael Carter-Williams and Washington's Jason Smith, and then Tim Frazier:
But wait, there's more
And if that's not enough, a further sign of player-referee discord popped up when former Pike High School star Courtney Lee of the New York Knicks was called for a technical — while lining up for a jump ball.
Lee said he wasn't addressing referee Derrick Stafford. He said he was trading trash talk — and not cursing — with Memphis' Dillon Brooks.
Join the Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs