Tempers flared late in Miami as Scotty Pippen Jr. and Myron Gardner were ejected following a heated fourth-quarter altercation.
Scotty Pippen Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies and Myron Gardner of the Miami Heat were thrown out with 1:55 remaining after a physical clash near the three-point line at Kaseya Center.
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The confrontation occurred with the Heat holding a comfortable lead and quickly became the defining moment of the game.
Photo by Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images
Late hit sparks confrontation in fourth quarter
The sequence began after Scotty Pippen Jr. converted a three-pointer and was then hit in the back by Gardner, with no foul assessed on the play.
Pippen fell to the floor, voiced his frustration toward officials, and then advanced toward Gardner as tensions rose.
The two players collided near the corner and had to be separated by teammates and staff as the scuffle carried toward the courtside seats. After the game, Pippen dismissed the seriousness of the altercation.
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“I thought it was kind of a cheap shot. He kind of hit me from where I didn’t see him, so I thought it was a soft move. I just thought maybe he needed a hug on the other end.”
Both players were ejected in the aftermath, ending their participation in the closing stretch.
Heat close out win as league reviews incident
Miami went on to complete a 136-120 victory at Kaseya Center despite the disruption in the final minutes.
The Heat were leading 134-113 when the altercation took place, leaving the result effectively decided.
Pippen concluded the night with 18 points and six assists in 21 minutes off the bench, while Gardner recorded five points and three rebounds prior to his ejection.
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The defeat marked Memphis’ 11th loss in 14 games, with the team again without Ja Morant because of an elbow injury.
The NBA is expected to examine the incident, and disciplinary action could follow after review.
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