Goran Dragic, Jordan Clarkson Ejected After Confrontation: Details and Reaction

Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic and Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson were ejected following a heated confrontation during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Staples Center.  

The incident started when Dragic went to set a screen on Clarkson near the free-throw line, at which point Clarkson shoved the Heat floor general. Play continued after the initial contact, but the two proceeded to clash below the basket before Clarkson appeared to catch Dragic with a forearm above the neck. 

"The heat of the game and stuff happens through the game," Clarkson said after the Lakers' 127-100 win, according to the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina. "We're not going to back down from guys."

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra saw things a bit differently. 

"It's really shameful, disgraceful that Goran Dragic got thrown out of that game," Spoelstra said, per the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman. "Gets an elbow to his face, somebody that wants to fight, knocks him down on the ground and just a bailout, shameful, disgraceful ejection."

Dragic retreated to the locker room with 16 points, three assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes. Clarkson, meanwhile, posted four points in 10 minutes off the bench before he was tossed. 

In addition to the ejections, the officials hit Miami forward James Johnson with a technical foul for his role in the scuffle, according to Winderman.

Neither Clarkson nor Dragic had been kicked out of a game this season before Friday's clash. However, Dragic already had three technical fouls to his name entering the cross-conference meeting.