Things got pretty heated between the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks during and after Tuesday’s game between the teams.
The Rockets beat the Mavs 123-107 in the fourth meeting of the season between the teams. There were eight technical fouls called in the contest — five on the Rockets and three on the Mavs. Trevor Ariza was ejected from the game and then confronted an opponent afterwards, while Houston’s Patrick Beverley yelled at Dallas coach Rick Carlisle.
Mavs Moneyball’s Tim Cato says Beverley jeered Carlisle after the game:
Patrick Beverley yelled "don't be mad at us coach" and "have a nice season, coach" as Rick Carlisle was leaving his post-game presser.
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) December 28, 2016
Beverley also mocked Carlisle for being an “icon,” which was seemingly a reference to Carlisle picking up a technical foul during the game for getting upset with the officials.
Beverley, who did not play in the game because of a thigh injury, had this to say on Twitter after the win:
What we experienced today as a team. Was the upmost disrespect. And total disrespect to Us and the GAME OF BASKETBALL…Still got the W tho
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) December 28, 2016
The other big controversy after the game involved Trevor Ariza.
Ariza had nine points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes, but he was ejected after picking up his second technical foul. He got into it with Dallas’ Salah Mejri, who allegedly said something disrespectful about Ariza’s family.
Ariza was so upset that he waited outside the Mavs’ locker room after the game before leaving after about 15 minutes without incident.
Trevor Ariza, joined by several teammates, waited outside the Mavs locker room for several minutes, apparently… https://t.co/9tutS4N4uT
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 28, 2016
The only good news is that after playing each other four times in three months, the Mavericks and Rockets are done facing each other in the regular season. Houston won all four contests.
