The Houston Rockets had just eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in five games in their NBA Western Conference first-round series, so the team's social media department had some fun at the Mavericks' expense.
Houston's social media coordinator posted a message on Twitter featuring emojis of a pistol aimed at a horse's head with the caption, "Shhhhh. Just close your eyes. It will all be over soon."
Dallas' social media team responded with its own message: "Not very classy but we still wish you guys the best of luck in the next round."
Apparently, the Rockets' brass agreed with the Mavericks' reponse because the organization deleted the original message and then issued an apology.
"Our tweet earlier was in very poor taste & not indicative of the respect we have for the @dallasmavs & their fans," the apology said. "We sincerely apologize."
Then the Rockets fired digital communications manager Chad Shanks on Wednesday.
Shanks addressed his firing on -- where else? -- social media.
"Sometimes you can go too far," Shanks tweeted. "I will no longer run @HoustonRockets but am grateful to the organization that let me develop an online voice.
"I did my best to make the account the best in the NBA by pushing the envelope, but pushed too far for some and for that I apologize.
"I hope there's another organization out there in need of someone willing to take chances and create engaging social content. I hope."
The team's Twitter account may have had more than 681,000 followers under Shanks' direction, but Yahoo! Sports blogger Ben Rohrbach came away with one simple observation.
"Houston's social media chairperson lasted only one day longer in the playoffs than the Mavericks team he put on proverbial blast. (Insert sad face emoji here.)"
Critical point
The Los Angeles Clippers are one loss away from the end of their season, which would prove their critics correct, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke believes.
Los Angeles lost to San Antonio 111-107 on Tuesday night in Game 5 of a first-round Western Conference series at Staples Center in Los Angeles to fall behind 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
"During the period, Blake Griffin was one for 10 with a shot blocked and ball stolen with the Clippers trailing by two in the final two minutes. That was the worst of the performances, but certainly not the only struggles of a team that, even in the end, could have had a chance to tie the score after Danny Green missed a free throw in the final seconds," Plaschke wrote.
"But believe it or not, the Clippers could not get the offensive rebound and lost the game by just standing around.
"The Clippers have been pushed to within 48 minutes of being eliminated by the defending NBA champions and their five-ring dynasty. They will have to win two games against the Spurs in the next four days to survive. It will not be easy, and will certainly not be pretty.
"The first opportunity will come Thursday in San Antonio. If somehow the Clippers win there, then they will have to beat them again in a Game 7 at Staples Center on Saturday night.
"Yeah, the winner-take-all game would be played on the same night Floyd Mayweather is fighting Manny Pacquaio. Perfect, huh? Maybe not."
SPORTS QUIZ
How many NBA championships have the Houston Rockets won?
ANSWER
Two (1994 and 1995)
Sports on 04/30/2015