The smoke hasn't quite cleared from the Kaseya Center after Saturday night’s wrestling match between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Miami Heat, but Scotty Pippen Jr. is already winning the post-game war of words.
Following a chaotic fourth-quarter sequence where Pippen and Miami forward Myron Gardner were ejected for a scuffle that spilled into the front row, the Grizzlies guard didn't hold back. Speaking with 5 Reasons Sports, Pippen addressed the “cheap shot” that sparked the fuse.
“I thought it was kind of a cheap shot. He kind of hit me when I didn’t see him,” Pippen said. “I thought it was a soft move. I just thought maybe he needed a hug on the other end.”
Scottie Pippen Jr on his altercation with Myron Garner 👀
“I thought it was kind of a cheap shot. He kind of hit me when I didn’t see him. I thought it was a soft move. I just thought he needed a hug on the other end”
(Via @5ReasonsSports) pic.twitter.com/WyaGIWfI8y
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 22, 2026
The “hug” in question looked more like a forceful shove that sent Gardner tumbling into the spectators with 1:19 left in the game.
The incident marred what was otherwise a clinical 136-120 victory for the Heat. Miami’s offense was humming, led by Andrew Wiggins, who notched 28 points and crossed the 15,000 career points milestone. Norman Powell added 25 points, as the Heat shot a blistering 54.5% from the field.
Despite the loss and the early exit, the Memphis Grizzlies saw some bright spots. GG Jackson carried the scoring load with a season-high 28 points, while Jaylen Wells chipped in 25. Before the ejection, Pippen Jr. finished with 18 points, six assists, and two steals in just 21 minutes of action.
While the NBA league office is likely reviewing the tape for potential fines or suspensions, Pippen’s “soft move” comments suggest there’s no love lost between these two. Memphis has now lost 11 of its last 14 games, and while they are fighting for their playoff lives, Pippen proved they aren't going down without a literal fight.
