Steve Dykes/Getty Images Portland Trail Blazers guard Seth Curry called the Denver Nuggets "sassy" after the two teams engaged in a fourth-quarter confrontation during Game 6 of their NBA Western Conference second-round playoff series on Thursday. Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon Nuggets guard Will Barton appeared to poke Curry in the eye during the scuffle. "[Barton] waited for a few people to get in between us, and when a few people were in between us, he put his finger in my eye," Curry told reporters postgame. "You know what I'm saying? I can't allow people to put their fingers in my eye. "That's real sassy. They got a few sassy dudes over there. Front-runners. And we can't allow that." Barton, Curry, Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins and Nuggets forward Torrey Craig received technicals for their roles in the altercation. Barton provided his response as well. "It ain't no beef," Barton said. "I wasn't even looking for that. I was just trying to protect myself. I guess he thought I was trying to stand on top of him and be tough. I was just trying to get out of the way before I got injured. He pushed me. I'm not going to let nobody push me. But that's nothing." Barton also doesn't think he'll be suspended for the series-deciding Game 7, which will take place on Sunday in Denver. "I ain't worried about no fines. I ain't trippin' off that. Hopefully, [there's] no suspension off that. I think if I [did something to get] suspended, I would probably have gotten ejected. "It's competitive playoff basketball," Barton added. "Some things are going to happen. If we are all out there just being friendly, it ain't going to look like nobody trying to win." The confrontation and postgame words almost seem inevitable given the series' intensity and competitiveness. Of note, the Blazers won a four-overtime matchup 140-137 in Game 3, and neither side has led by more than one game in the second-round faceoff. Both sides have also taken a road game in the seesaw battle. The Blazers have the series momentum after winning 119-108 on Thursday, but Denver was a league-best 34-7 at home this season. The Nuggets are 5.5-point favorites, per Vegas Insider.<doc-sep>PORTLAND, Ore. – Blazers guard Seth Curry said he was surprised Nuggets veteran Will Barton wasn’t ejected following a review of their fourth-quarter Game 6 scuffle that earned four players technical fouls. “Surprising, but it is what it is,” Curry said after the Blazers survived an elimination game and forced the Western Conference semifinals series back to Denver for Sunday’s Game 7. Barton, who said the scuffle started when Blazers center Zach Collins fell into his knee at the 6:16 mark of the fourth quarter, said he was trying to protect himself before pushing Curry. “I wasn’t even looking for that. You just look at the replay,” Barton said from the Nuggets’ postgame locker room. “Collins fell into my knees. I guess he thought I was trying to stand over the top of him, be tough. But I was just trying to get out of the way before I got injured. He pushed me. I’m not going to let nobody push me. That’s nothing.” Replay Review (Game Crew): player altercation in Q4 of #DENatPOR. Ruling: Technical fouls assessed to Barton, Curry, Craig and Collins. pic.twitter.com/QQb9zoLsxS — NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 10, 2019 Curry appeared to lightly shove Barton, who responded in kind. But the temperature didn’t spike until Barton appeared to poke Curry in the eye. “He waited for a few people to get in between us, and when a few people were in between us, he put his finger in my eye,” Curry said. “I can’t allow dudes to put their fingers in my eye. That’s real sassy. They got some sassy dudes over there. Front-runners.” People's Champ with heel turn and the Three Stooges eye poke on @sdotcurry 'They got a few sassy dudes over there, front runners.' See ya Sunday for Game 7 in Denver #RipCity pic.twitter.com/edXNaML3w2 — Nick Krupke (@NickKrupke) May 10, 2019 Barton, Curry, Collins and Torrey Craig were each assessed technical fouls. That wasn’t the only show of love between the teams, who’ve now had to be separated three times throughout the first six games of the series. With 1:19 remaining and the Blazers comfortably ahead, C.J. McCollum buried a dagger 3-pointer near Denver’s bench to make it a 113-101. As he walked back to the bench, head nodding knowing that his basket had sealed the win, teammate Evan Turner looked back and gave the Nuggets the middle finger. Barton, who saw video of what Curry had said and later saw the photo of Turner’s middle finger, was amused by both. Related Articles Kiszla: Nuggets fans booing Carmelo Anthony are foolish to let Melo live rent-free inside their heads 🔊 Nuggets Podcast: Looking ahead to Game 3 of Nuggets-Blazers as series flips to Portland Ball Arena’s capacity increases to 10,500 for Nuggets, Avalanche playoff games Nuggets 2021 NBA mock draft tracker 1.0: What the national experts predict Denver will do Examining Nuggets-Blazers scuffles during aggressive Game 2: “I don’t know how anybody wants to become a ref, to be honest” Asked by reporters earlier about the altercation, Barton said he didn’t expect any further punishment from the NBA. “I’m not worried about no fines,” Barton said. “I’m not tripping off that. Hopefully no suspension for that. I think if I would’ve gotten suspended, I probably would’ve gotten ejected.” Barton didn’t think the dustup was anything serious, and he dismissed the idea that it should serve as any extra motivation heading into Game 7. “I’m not going to try to justify that as a way for us to play hard or wake us up,” Barton said. “I just feel like it’s being competitive, it’s playoff basketball, some things are going to happen. If we’re all out there just being friendly, it ain’t gonna look like nobody’s trying to win, huh?”<doc-sep>Game 6 of the Nuggets-Blazers playoff series turned a bit “sassy.” Things got heated midway through the final period after Nikola Jokic was called for an offensive foul and the players got into a shoving match and had to be separated. After a review, there were offsetting technicals involving Denver’s Will Barton and Torrey Craig, and Seth Curry and Zach Collins for Portland. Curry used some colorful language after the game in describing the dustup in the fourth quarter, saying he was poked in the eye. “He waited for a few people to get in between us, and when a few people were in between us, he put his finger in my eye,” Curry said of Barton. “You know what I’m saying. I can’t allow people to put their fingers in my eye. “That’s real sassy. They got a few sassy dudes over there. Front-runners. And we can’t allow that.” Barton had a different version of events. “It ain’t no beef,” Barton said. “I wasn’t even looking for that. I was just trying to protect myself. I guess he thought I was trying to stand on top of him and be tough. I was just trying to get out of the way before I got injured. He pushed me. I’m not going to let nobody push me. But that’s nothing.” The Blazers, led by 32 points from Damian Lillard, pulled away for a 119-108 victory that forces a Game 7 back in Denver on Sunday. — With AP<doc-sep>
With a 3-2 lead in the series, the Denver Nuggets were unable to hold off a chippy Portland Trail Blazers team who forced a Game 7 with a big 119-108 victory on Thursday night. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were able to combine for 62 points in the game, although it was Seth Curry who was one of the bigger stories for the Blazers. In the fourth quarter, Curry got into a shoving match with Will Barton of the Nuggets which led to both players being pulled away by their respective teammates. Afterward, Curry spoke about Barton and the Nuggets, saying they're a pretty dramatic bunch. "He waited for a few people to get in between us, and when a few people were in between us, he put his finger in my eye," Curry said according to ESPN. "You know what I'm saying. I can't allow people to put their fingers in my eye. That's real sassy. They got a few sassy dudes over there. Front-runners. And we can't allow that." Barton gave his own explanation of what happened, saying he wasn't going to let anyone push him around. "It ain't no beef," Barton said. "I wasn't even looking for that. I was just trying to protect myself. I guess he thought I was trying to stand on top of him and be tough. I was just trying to get out of the way before I got injured. He pushed me. I'm not going to let nobody push me. But that's nothing." Game 7 will go down on Sunday in Denver.