Paul Millsap and Markieff Morris have sparked an intense rivalry during their first round playoff match up.
Millsap and Morris, who play for the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards respectively, have been matched up for the last three games. All of the physical proximity has engendered hard feelings between the two men. Throughout their first round NBA playoff series, the two have talked back and forth constantly on the court. After the series left Washington, Millsap commented that the Wizards and their physical style of play was more like mixed martial arts than basketball.
“The difference in the game was we were playing basketball and they were playing MMA. They were physical. When the game is like that we have to match their physicality. But again, we’ve got to go get some moves and bring them back to the court,” remarked Millsap.
After the Hawks won Game Three in Atlanta, Millsap, who scored 29 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished five assists, responded to comments from Morris in which he called the Hawks forward a crybaby.
“Me, as a man, you take your wins with your losses. I take my wins with my losses all the time,” said Morris. “He just did more for his team. He’s a crybaby. You get all the calls when you’re a crybaby. That’s how I look at it.”
“It definitely got personal now, yes. I don’t care, so what. Take his loss and go back to the hotel, be ready for the next game,” responded Millsap.