VIDEO: Matt Barnes gets assessed flagrant foul for tackling James Harden

Tempers flared during Sunday's contest between a pair of Western Conference heavyweights.

Things got heated in the second quarter of the No. 4 seed Houston Rockets and fifth-place Los Angeles Clippers clash when Matt Barnes took down MVP-hopeful James Harden on a drive to the basket. 

Players swarmed around the scene before cooler heads prevailed. And after the officials reviewed the play, Barnes was assessed a flagrant foul 1. 

This isn't football, Matt.