LeBron James Fires Back At Critics; Bulls Coach Thibodeau Slapped With $35K Fine For 'Flopping' Accusation [VIDEO]

Miami Heat star LeBron James was once again at the center of controversy after Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and several players accused the four-time MVP of flopping in one of the pivotal plays in Friday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semis at United Center.

Thibidoeau accused James of flopping after he was pushed by Bulls center Nazr Mohammed early in the second quarter of the Heat's 104-94 victory in Game 3.

"From my angle, I saw a guy basically flop," Thibodeau said of James during the post-game press conference on Frioday, according to ESPN. "I don't think it warranted an ejection. I understand a flagrant foul, I understand that, but ejection, no, nope."

Mohammed was eventually ejected after the play, leaving the already short-handed Bulls without a back-up center.

Nate Robinson also agreed that James did a nice job acting to make the game officials believe that he was actually shoved to the ground with great force.

"You see LeBron in a lot of commercials, a lot of good acting," Robinson told Yahoo Sports on Friday.

Jimmy Butler, who has been tirelessly guarding James throughout the series, believes the physical nature of the series will carry on in the succeeding games.

"Definitely," Butler told ESPN. "I feel like that's what it's been from the very beginning. I don't expect it to change ... the last game, it's over with. But we're coming in and we want to be the aggressor."

It has been an all-out war between the Heat and the Bulls through the first three matches of the series with each ballgame marred with heated confrontations, dozens of hard fouls, and a slew of technical calls.

On Sunday, Thibodeau was slapped with a $35,000 fine by the NBA for his baseless allegation.

Tired of flop allegations, James answered back with a simple yet meaningful response.

"It's kind of the same as when people said I was overrated, I have the same response," James told ESPN. "I don't need to flop. I play an aggressive game but I don't flop. I've never been one of those guys. I don't need to flop. I don't even know how to do it. So it doesn't mean much to me."

Game 4 of the Bulls-Heat series is scheduled on Monday (7:00 p.m ET) at United Center.