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Tensions escalated on the court between Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers, but it was courtside fans who took things too far in a heated NBL encounter.

Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers' coaches have agreed that fans becoming physically involved with players in their NBL game was unacceptable and should be something that never happens.

The drama all started on the court a minute into the fourth quarter on Sunday when Sixers powerhouse and excitement machine Montrezl Harrell was called for an offensive foul on veteran United centre Rob Loe.

Harrell gave Loe a shove as he was getting back to his feet only for Loe's United and New Zealand Tall Blacks teammate Shea Ili to take offence.

That's when things between the playing groups escalated but that eventually calmed down and both teams were separated.

It got ugly as the Sixers players got back to their bench and the courtside fans became physically involved.

The verbal barrage they were giving the 36ers, especially Harrell, during the game was one thing, but once at least one of the courtside spectators laid hands on Adelaide captain DJ Vasiljevic and general manager Matt Weston, it had gone too far.

Harrell and fellow import Kendric Davis took particular offence and in the end United staff and security did well to prevent it from getting further out of hand.

The fallout was that Harrell and Ili were ejected for what happened on court, the majority of the spectators from that courtside section were sent on their way, and Melbourne won 113-93 to head into the FIBA break on top of the NBL.

Sixers coach Mike Wells saw nothing wrong with what his players did, but from what he saw and has been made aware, the fans are the ones who stepped over the line.

"That's part of our group coming together in a hostile environment and playing basketball," he said.

"I don't want to have fight in the game and stuff, I never want to have that, we want to come here and compete, and take it right to the line and never cross the line. 

"That's about competition and I think we all love competition, that's why we do what we do. There's one thing within the lines on the court and whatever happened out there, I saw a lot of guys instigating instead of separating, and that's not good. 

"And then I saw fans instigating and that's not good. There's one thing on the court, but it can't happen with the fans. You pay your money and you can do anything you want, you just can't touch people."

United coach Dean Vickerman was also happy with his team's response and condemned spectators who got physical.

"I didn't think we did anything to super escalate the situation and I thought our intention once it got heated was to defuse it as quick as we could," he said.

"The fans are there to view the game and support the game, and you never want to see a crossover with players and fans, you want to see it the part of engagement and stuff like that.

"But obviously we've crossed the line in the game there where they've reacted to whatever's been said. It's something that we don't want to see."