Wizards' Brooks: High elbows precipitated Oubre-Olynyk fight

Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks had a pretty simple explanation for why Kelly Oubre snapped at Kelly Olynyk in Game 3.

Brooks didn't condone Oubre's actions and stressed the need for his team to restrain its emotions. But in so many words he said Olynyk had it coming.

"One, I think we have to control our emotions. We can't respond that way. But when you get hit in the head a few times ... if you keep getting hit on the head you might respond that way and I think that's what (Oubre) did," Brooks told reporters after Game 3.

Olynyk, who's something of a habitual line-stepper when it comes to physical play, caught Oubre with a hard screen in which his right elbow did come up near the head. Oubre responded with a wild charge while Olynyk protested the offensive foul call to a baseline official.

"I'm not saying that was the right thing to do," Brooks added. "We have to focus on playing basketball. We can't control what they're to do."

Oubre was one of three players ejected Thursday to go along with seven technical fouls that were dished out between the two teams.