The trash-talking between Washington Wizards guard John Wall and Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea spilled off the court Monday when both players took shots at each other in postgame interviews.
Wall first referred to Barea as a “little midget trying to get mad” while Barea said Wall was “trying to be a tough guy, but he’s not.”
The comments were made after the two got into a verbal confrontation in the fourth quarter of Dallas’ 98-75 win.
During the game, Wall got in Barea’s face after Kelly Oubre hit the floor on a Barea layup. Wall and Barea exchanged words and Barea was given a technical foul.
Barea said Wall changed his persona a couple of years ago.
“So now I have somebody in the NBA that I don’t like,” Barea said. “It’s my first. I don’t like him at all now. But I don’t think his teammates like him, either. So it’s nothing new for him.”
Barea’s shot comes days after Wall revealed the Wizards had a players-only meeting that “set us back a little.”
The Mavericks, who are just 16-31, have beaten the Wizards twice this season.
J.J. Barea has no love for John Wall 😳 pic.twitter.com/aFHwsb0wED
— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) January 23, 2018
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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