Dallas coach Rick Carlisle knew his team needed a jump start Thursday night after two narrow losses to start his team’s first-round series against Oklahoma City.
So it wasn’t really all that surprising that Carlisle erupted when game officials allowed an early basket in Thursday’s game when it appeared that Oklahoma City’s Kendrick Perkins clearly touched the ball while it was in the cylinder.
When referees David Jones, Greg Willard and Marc Davis allowed the basket to stand, Carlisle had to be restrained by Mavs assistant Terry Stotts from charging the court. For his demonstrative display, Carlisle picked up a technical foul.
Carlisle’s act didn’t work. The Mavericks dropped a 95-79 defeat in Game 3 putting them in danger of becoming the first defending NBA champion to be eliminated in the first round since Miami in 2007.
Here’s a You Tube clip of Carlisle’s emotional outburst in Thursday’s game.
I’m wondering if there’s any compassion from Spurs Nation for Mark Cuban’s team as they teeter so closely to the end of their season?