Rick Carlisle calls out Kevin Durant and Thunder for 'dirty' play
Rick Carlisle is not happy. At all.
After three highly physical playoff games against the Oklahoma Thunder, the Dallas Mavericks head coach is looking for someone, anyone, to validate the very obvious things he sees happening in front of him in this series—namely, the Thunder elbowing, chucking and cheap-shotting the Mavericks to bits.
He's fed up with it, and Friday he aired his grievances to the media, albeit in a weird and obliqe manner.
The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater posted a transcript of Carlisle's remarks.
The transcript shows Carlisle engaging The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel, and more or less using the Thunder beat writer's own observations to make his point: that the Thunder play dirty, and it's not just one or two guys.
This back-and-forth between Rick Carlisle and Berry Tramel, on the Thunder's instigation, was great: pic.twitter.com/N3UB5Av08g
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 22, 2016
"There were four, what I would categorize as, 'non-basketball physical escalations' that were initiated by [the Thunder]," Carlisle said. "Including one intentional, unprovoked elbow at the free throw line that I didn't understand and I've never seen a guy like Kevin Durant ever do that to a player."
Rick Carlisle angry about physical altercations "instigated" by OKC. Calls out Kevin Durant for "unprovoked" elbow pic.twitter.com/KkH2lc1jpX
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 22, 2016
One of the plays that led to this mini-meltdown was Kevin Durant sinking an elbow into Salah Mejri's ribs during Game 3.
Here's the Durant elbow on Mejri that Carlisle was angry about https://t.co/p9zx3RXrmL
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 22, 2016
Yeah. That was not Durant's coolest move.
The Mavericks and Thunder face off Saturday in Game 4 of the series. Dallas is down 2-1 and holding on for a miracle. It probably won't happen, but the counter 'bows could be out if the Thunder commence the shenanigans on this weekend.
Dan is on Twitter. Ludacris elbows are the only 'bows we recognize.
