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The NBA has officially announced the repercussions for Wednesday night's brawl between the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies.
Knicks guard Elfrid Payton–who instigated the incident by shoving Grizzlies forward Jae Crowder in the middle of a shot attempt–was suspended for a game. Marko Guduric and Jaren Jackson Jr. were among the Grizzlies players suspended after they left the bench.
Meanwhile, Crowder was fined $25,000 and Knicks forward Marcus Morris was fined $35,000 for the respective roles they played:
Elfrid Payton, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marko Guduric are all suspended one game after the Knicks and Grizzlies fight.
Marcus Morris was fined $35K and Jae Crowder was fined $25K. pic.twitter.com/6bT11HFuS5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2020
The Knicks Elfrid Payton has been suspended one game — along with Memphis' Marko Guduric and Jaren Jackson Jr. for leaving the bench — while Marcus Morris was fined $35,000 and Jae Crowder $25,000 for last night's stupidity at the end of the Knicks/Grizzlies game.
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) January 31, 2020
Crowder's fine seems rather trivial. Although Knicks players would argue he is at fault for taking a jumper in the final seconds of a blowout, he did not really do anything to escalate matters immediately after Payton shoved him to the ground.
However, Crowder did engage in some verbal sparring with Morris after the game.
Morris called Crowder's style of play “woman-like” and said he had “female tendencies” during his postgame media session, setting off an entirely separate controversy:
"He's got a lot of female tendencies on the court, flopping and throwing his head back…he's soft, very woman-like"
– Marcus Morris on Jae Crowder pic.twitter.com/MxtFnKbu3M
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 30, 2020
Crowder immediately shot back, citing Morris' poor shooting performance while also getting some assistance from WNBA star Elizabeth Cambage:
THIS IS WHAT 5-17 LOOKS LIKE.!! 😂😂 https://t.co/vDf5cw103m
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) January 30, 2020
AMEN.!! 💯 https://t.co/kq8fYK8O8S
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) January 30, 2020
Cambage's two cents actually prompted a pair of apology tweets from Morris:
I was wrong to even use those terms and I’m very sorry to all Women for my comments. Just to be clear I wasn’t at any point trying to take anything away women’s basketball. Your great at this game and even more amazing off the court. My apologies
— Marcus Morris (@MookMorris2) January 30, 2020
I apologize if I offended you wit my comments in anyway. I truly respect women in every aspect in life. Wasn’t raised like that. I’m a big fan of yours and everything you have done for the WNBA and basketball in general.
— Marcus Morris (@MookMorris2) January 30, 2020
The Knicks fully accepted the league's decision while also saying they did not approve of Morris' comments:
Statement from the New York Knicks: pic.twitter.com/gdXYFZP32b
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) January 31, 2020
However, the damage has already been done, especially for a long-suffering fan base. The brawl and Morris' subsequent comments were more stains on an ugly Knicks season, which seemed to come to a head when fans chanted for owner James Dolan to “sell the team.”
