Tempers flared as Pippen Jr. faced ejection after a controversial play, voicing his displeasure over the heated on-court exchange and ensuing separation.
Frustration boiled over in the final two minutes Friday night, and Scotty Pippen Jr. did not mince words afterward.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard was ejected with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of a 136-120 loss to the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on Feb. 21, following an altercation with Heat forward Myron Gardner that spilled into the corner near the three-point line and toward the front row.
The sequence began after Pippen knocked down a transition three-pointer with 1:59 left in regulation. As the shot fell, Gardner made forceful contact from behind, sending Pippen to the floor. No foul was called on the play.
Pippen remained down briefly and directed his frustration toward the officiating crew before rising and sprinting up the court. He approached Gardner near the corner and initiated contact, and both players tumbled to the floor as teammates and staff from both benches rushed in to separate them.
Officials reviewed the situation and ejected both players.
After the game, Pippen offered a pointed assessment of the contact that triggered the exchange.
“I thought it was kind of a cheap shot,” Pippen said.
He continued by describing the nature of the collision and why it escalated.
“He kind of hit me from where I didn’t see him, so I thought it was a soft move,” Pippen said. “I just thought maybe he needed a hug on the other end.”
The comments reflected the intensity of a closing stretch in which Memphis was attempting to trim the deficit but ultimately could not recover. Miami maintained control in the final possessions and secured the 16-point victory on its home floor.
Before his ejection, Pippen delivered one of his more productive outings since returning to action earlier this month. He finished with 18 points and six assists, continuing to provide offensive stability for Memphis’ backcourt rotation.
Gardner closed with five points and three rebounds before being sent off.
For Pippen, the moment underscored both the competitiveness he brings to the floor and the fine line between physical play and retaliatory emotion. The Grizzlies guard had converted a key shot and was looking to help spark momentum late, only for the possession to turn contentious.
The league office is expected to review the incident in the coming days to determine whether additional discipline is warranted.
In the box score, it will register as a 136-120 loss. In the closing minutes, however, it became a statement from Pippen — both physically and verbally — about how he viewed the contact that ended his night early.