Because, the difference is, in the bball scenario, if the 6ers then shoot more 3's, the heat would then start a brawl. Maybe this is just a bad analogy. Let's do a hockey one.

Dude on team 1 tries to lay out a guy on team 2 w/ his head down and doesn't get him flush on, clearly with the intent to put him into next week. Team 2 doesn't like it and later in the game someone takes a run at one of their guys with a clean hit. If team 1 then retaliates and sends someone to level a guy on team 2, if I'm team 2 I absolutely put out my enforcers against their top line and start a brawl.