Memphis Grizzlies v Miami Heat
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Officials handed out a pair of ejections after Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner engaged in an altercation during the Heat's 136-120 win on Saturday. Pippen and Gardner watched the final 1:55 from the locker rooms as a result of their scuffle, which spilled into the courtside seats on one corner of the floor.

An unnecessary hit on one end of the floor led to the skirmish on the other. Pippen drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to cut the Grizzlies' deficit to 134-113 with two minutes to play, and well after he released the ball, Gardner stepped in from well out of the play and made contact with Pippen's backside, sending him to the floor. There was no foul call.

Pippen ran down the floor and clearly sought out Gardner in the left corner. He extended both arms in a targeted shove of Gardner, and the two tangled up and pulled each other to the ground. Officials, players and coaches sprinted to the scene to attempt to break up the fight. No other players engaged in fighting.

"I thought it was kind of a cheap shot," Pippen said of the play that sparked the fight. "He kind of hit me when I didn't see him, so I thought it was a soft move. I just thought he maybe needed a hug at the other end, and that's kind of what happened."

Pippen and Gardner could face discipline from the NBA, although the former downplayed the kerfuffle and said he does not expect the league to step in with punishment beyond the ejections.

"I don't think any punches or anything was thrown," Pippen said. "I think it was just a hug. I don't think it was too crazy. I got ejected. I think that should be left at that, but we'll see."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra came to Gardner's defense after his involvement in the brouhaha and said that he loves Myron "regardless" of what occurred between him and Pippen.

"Let's exhale," Spoelstra said postgame. "We'll take a look at it. His greatest strength is his unbridled intensity and effort and energy. His heart is in a great place. He's wired like us, competitively. You add that type of intensity to this competitive will that will boil over at times. I don't want to take away from that competitiveness."

Pippen finished the contest with 18 points in 21 minutes off the bench for a Memphis team that is spiraling further toward the bottom of the Western Conference with five losses in its last six games and 11 in its last 14. Gardner played six minutes across two stints on the floor for the Southeast Division-leading Heat.