Zach Randolph, Kendrick Perkins ejected for altercation

Zach Randolph and Kendrick Perkins are not friends. And they go out of their way to prove it sometimes.

Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies power forward, and Perkins, the Oklahoma City Thunder center, got into a war of words with 2 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the Grizzlies' 107-97 win Wednesday night. It came in between free throws by Russell Westbrook. Vulgarities were involved.

It's not every day that two veteran starters are ejected late in a game for a few verbal jabs. But these were loud jabs.

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol tried to break it up, and as so often happens to peacemakers, he nearly ended up ejected himself.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks defended the decision.

"It is an emotional game and we didn't play well and I think the referees were just trying to control the game. Throw both of them out so nothing happens," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "I can appreciate that because with a game like that, you don't want anything crazy to happen."

The altercation led to some yelling after the game, according to those there.

"Source that witnessed it says Randolph and Perk didn't physically confront each other but were just 'cussing back and forth' in the tunnel," Thunder blogger Royce Young tweeted.

"Oh, there was something. We had a NewsOK staffer who heard the yelling and something hitting against walls, doors," The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman columnist Jenni Carlson tweeted.

Randolph's explanation was so typical Z-Bo.

"There's a lot of bluffing going on on the court, that's all," Randolph said. "And I don't bluff."

These two have a history. One particularly harsh bout of trash talk came after a 2011 Grizzlies playoff win in which Randolph had 34 points and 10 rebounds.

"Perk's good, but all Perk can do is foul me," Randolph told Fox Sports. "That's the only thing he can do. The best thing about his defense on me is to foul me. ... He can't (stop me). He's too slow. He's a big body. He can foul."

"I don't think nobody in the league can stop me. Not only Perk. I tell Perk to his face. I already told him before."

Thunder star Kevin Durant said Randolph was the best power forward in the NBA after that performance, and Perkins had a rebuttal. Stunning, right?

"If he says so," Perkins said (via Fox Sports). "I don't agree . . . I'm not going to give my opposing opponent the credit that I got to go against. So if Kevin says (Randolph is) the best power forward, then that's Kevin's opinion."

So, yeah. Something was bound to blow up eventually.

Contributing: The Associated Press