Photo by AP/Jae C. Hong

With 9:23 remaining in the 4th quarter, Jason Terry committed a hard foul on Steve Blake (eventually called a Flagrant 2). After bumping Blake on his path to the basket, Terry shoved Blake to the floor. Immediately, Blake rose and got in Terry’s face. The two began jawing and had to be broken apart.

That wasn’t the end of the altercation, though.

Matt Barnes entered the scene, pushing Terry and having to be held back by the refs. The two walked toward each other once again, yet this time Barnes was near the Mavs’ bench. Mavs’ assistant coach Terry Stotts grabbed and held Barnes, “attempting” to hold Barnes back.

Well, Barnes didn’t like that. He told Stotts to get off him (in a R-rated manner), and shoved him to the bench. Yikes. That won’t bode well in the league offices.

The Mavs chose Theo Ratliff to shoot the flagrant free-throws, as after Blake’s ejection the Mavs’ had a choice who they wanted to attempt them (I never understood this rule. Let’s say Blake got injured and their was no altercation. The Mavericks would still pick anyone they wanted from L.A. to shoot the free-throws. That literally makes no sense. They commit the flagrant, then get to pick a poor foul-shooter to miss the free-throws. Any logic in that? I didn’t think so).

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Tempers Flare Between the Lakers and Mavericks in Battle L.A. - Lake Show Life - Lake Show Life - A Los Angeles Lakers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

The standings show only two and a half games separating the Lakers and Mavericks but the difference in class is further than the Earth to Pluto. Thursday night proved what the Mavs shouldn’t have to wait until the playoffs to learn. This is what champions look like.

A stunning second half will be overlooked thanks to some frustrations being unleashed in Staples.

The ejections of five players will no doubt be the hot topic around Stu Jackson’s office tomorrow morning. Jason Terry’s cheap shove of Steve Blake demonstrated the frail psyche of Dallas. What would follow were the ejections of Blake, Terry, Matt Barnes, Brendan Haywood and later Shannon Brown. The emotion even boiled over into the crowd as well.

A clear message was sent tonight. Too bad that message might come at a cost as suspensions will no doubt be handed out.

But let’s worry about that tomorrow.

Tonight all that matters is that telling 110-82 score line and those mere two games that now separate the Lakers from the Spurs.

One month ago it looked like getting a stranglehold on second place in the West was the only attainable goal. Now, not only is first a real possibility but grabbing the best record in the league is back in the mix too.
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Lakers Vanquish Mavericks, Set Sights on Spurs - Lake Show Life - Lake Show Life - A Los Angeles Lakers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More