In further evidence that public Rihanna thirsting is man's most dangerous game, Matt Barnes is likely reposing in a burn unit at Cedars-Sinai after being torched by the singer over public insinuations about a budding relationship between the two.

It began like so many other classic love stories: with TMZ cornering the former Los Angeles Clippers hitman in his downtime Sunday.

Asked if he and Rihanna were dating, Barnes said they were feeling things out.

"Rihanna's my friend right now so um we'll see where it goes... I think it just passed the crush stage, a little bit," Barnes said. 

Asked if the two would be strained by distance with Barnes signing on with the Memphis Grizzlies, he said he wasn't worried.

"Nah, she's rich," Barnes said. "We'll be all right."

Becoming more guarded, Barnes then called rumors of their dating "speculation."

"All that is rumors. All that is speculation," Barnes said. "We're friends, and we'll see where it goes from there."

If this doesn't makes sense to you, worry not. It appears to have made even less sense to Rihanna, who ran to Instagram after the interview and posted a screenshot of Barnes with hashtag-heavy captions rebutting his claims.

Well then.

If there's a rougher way to hit back against a "friend" than saying you've never even met them and that their claims of a relationship amount to defamation of character, I don't want to know what it is.

Reaction to Barnes' seemingly wishful thinking has been, well, not entirely kind:

madsear @madsear

matt barnes wanted rihanna in his corner to fight serge ibaka and keri hilson... sometimes you need to speak your wishes into existence...

Ty @_KingTy

Rihanna gave Matt Barnes the biggest L 😭😂

DO NOT CONGRATULATE @russbengtson

@jemelehill Can u tie it together and discuss whether Matt Barnes should get a Rihanna participation trophy?

Jemele Hill @jemelehill

@russbengtson thanks for playing -- signed, rihanna

In any case, uh, Barnes is soon-to-be single. So if you're a lady looking for a gentleman who will only kind of put your business out there, and you live in Memphis or have a private jet, look him up. 

He'll be the guy covered head-to-toe in white gauze, because Insta-acid burns like hell.

Dan is on Twitter. The harsh climate of the Rihanna Desert claims yet another victim.