Tempers exploded late as Pippen and Gardner clashed, shoving into the front row after a hard foul. Ejections followed as the Heat sealed the win.
A physical sequence in the final two minutes Saturday night escalated into a front-row altercation, resulting in the ejections of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Myron Gardner as the Miami Heat closed out a 136-120 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
With 1:59 remaining in the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center on Feb. 21, tensions that had been building over several possessions boiled over. The incident began after Pippen converted an open three-pointer in transition. As the shot dropped, Gardner, trailing the play, made forceful contact from behind, sending Pippen to the floor. No foul was called on the sequence.
Moments earlier, the two players had battled for rebounding position, with Gardner delivering a hard box-out that resulted in both players going to the floor. On the ensuing possession, Pippen connected from beyond the arc before absorbing contact from behind.
After remaining down briefly and voicing his frustration to officials, Pippen rose and sprinted up the floor. He approached Gardner near the corner three-point line and initiated contact, shoving him toward the front row of seats. Both players fell into the crowd area as teammates and coaching staff from both benches rushed in to separate them.
Officials assessed the situation and ejected both players with 1:55 remaining. No additional players appeared to leave the bench area during the altercation, which is significant under league rules that mandate automatic discipline for bench departures during on-court fights.
Miami maintained composure following the incident and secured the 136-120 win on its home floor.
Gardner, in his first NBA season, has appeared in 27 games for the Heat, averaging 4.1 points in 9.7 minutes per contest. Prior to joining Miami, he spent three seasons with the Osceola Magic, the G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, continuing his development before earning a roster opportunity.
Pippen, meanwhile, recently returned to game action after recovering from left toe surgery and made his season debut on Feb. 6. Through three appearances in the 2025-26 campaign, he is averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 assists and shooting 50.0% from the field, including 42.9% from three-point range. Over 109 career NBA games, Pippen holds averages of 10.1 points and 4.2 assists while shooting 48.1% overall and 40.2% from beyond the arc.
The league office is expected to review the sequence to determine whether supplemental discipline is warranted. Any potential suspension would come at a time when Memphis is already navigating roster challenges, including the recent announcement that veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will miss the remainder of the season following right pinky finger surgery.
Saturday’s contest ultimately belonged to Miami on the scoreboard, but the late-game confrontation ensured the matchup will be remembered as much for its closing moments as for the final margin.