Millsap rips Wizards: We were playing basketball, they were playing MMA

Emotions ran high throughout a scrappy Game 1 between the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Hawks forward Paul Millsap took exception to the physicality of the Wizards, ripping into their team and the officials for allowing a cynical style of play.

"The difference in the game is we were playing basketball and they were playing MMA," Millsap told AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today.

He also shared a sarcastic post on Instagram illustrating his point about the Wizards' physicality.

Millsap found himself entangled in a handful of conflicts on Sunday afternoon. Not only was he victimized by a vicious dunk from Marcin Gortat, but Millsap was also put into an armbar by Markieff Morris in a battle for a loose ball.

Millsap warned that the Hawks would fight fire with fire going forward.

"They were physical," Millsap added. "When the game’s like that, we’ve just got to match their physicality. But again, we’ve got to go get some (MMA) moves and bring them back to the court."