J.J. Barea Ejected After Pushing Blake Griffin

The Dallas Mavericks were dumbfounded by guard J.J. Barea being called for a flagrant 2 foul and ejected after pushing Blake Griffin during Thursday’s 97-95 win over the LA Clippers. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle implied that Griffin, a 6-foot-10, 251-pound power forward, flopped after exchanging shoves with the diminutive Barea, who was trying to fight through a Griffin screen with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter.

“Watching Griffin’s cat-ate-the-canary smile tells you the story of that play,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “That’s all you have to look at.” Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki called Barea’s ejection “just weak” and complained about the confusion regarding what constitutes a flagrant foul.

Source: Tim MacMahon of ESPN