Knicks' Elfrid Payton suspended one game, Marcus Morris fined for role in altercation
Elfrid Payton of the Knicks and Jae Crowder of the Memphis Grizzlies mix it up late in their game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The fallout from the Knicks’ disastrous performance at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night continued Thursday with efforts at an apology and then punishment handed down.
Marcus Morris, who received a technical foul and was ejected from the game against the Grizzlies, was fined $35,000 by the NBA for escalating an on-court altercation by shoving Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and for offensive and derogatory comments about women made to the media after the game.
Knicks point guard Elfrid Payton received a one-game suspension. Payton, who was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected from the game, was cited for shoving the Grizzlies’ Jae Crowder while Crowder was in midair and sending him to the floor in the final minute of the Knicks’ one-sided loss, for escalating the altercation and for inappropriate postgame comments.
Crowder, who was given a technical foul and ejected, was fined $25,000 for escalating the on-court altercation by shoving Payton, among other things. The Grizzlies’ Marko Guduric and Jaren Jackson Jr. each was suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area during the altercation.
The Knicks issued a statement agreeing with the punishment: “We understand the NBA’s decision to fine and suspend Elfrid Payton, as well as fine Marcus Morris Sr. for their behavior during last night’s game. In addition, we agree that Marcus’ comments were offensive and unacceptable. While we do believe his apology was sincere, that type of speech does not reflect the values of respect and inclusion that our organization stands for, and can not be tolerated.”
With Morris the most attractive trade piece the Knicks possess heading to the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline, it was not a great showcase.
After Wednesday’s game, Morris said Crowder has “a lot of female tendencies on the court,” added that “it’s a man’s game” and referred to Crowder’s behavior as “very womanlike.”
Morris spent much of the 24 hours after the game apologizing for his comments: first a general apology on Twitter and then directly on social media to the WNBA’s Liz Cambage.
The Las Vegas Aces star — who holds the WNBA single-game scoring record of 53, accomplished against the Liberty, when they were under the same roof as the Knicks — responded to a video of Morris from after the game by simply stating, “excuse me @MookMorris2?”
Morris then posted an apology, tweeting, “I apologize for using the term “female tendencies.” I have the upmost [sic] respect for women and everything they mean to us. It was a Heat of the moment response and I never intended for any Women to feel as though in anyway I’m disrespecting them. Again I apologize with my comments.”
Cambage quote-tweeted the apology, commenting, “what about you saying “its a mans game” or “woman like” and then tweeted later in all capital letters, “FEMALE TENDENCIES WINS GAMES THOUGH.”
On Thursday morning, Morris responded to that last tweet, writing, “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.”
Diana Taurasi, speaking to SNY, said, “It was disappointing coming from Marcus. I know him, he spent time in Phoenix with the Suns. I’ve had interaction with him. He’s a good guy. To go off the cuff and say stuff like that — he must have been emotional after [the game]. I know it’s intense, but it is what it is now. Words matter and what you say matters. It’s just disappointing coming from him in this stage of his career. You gotta watch it, you gotta be sensitive for what you say. At the end of the day, you’re responsible for what you say. It’s all on his shoulders now.”
Payton did not apologize, which may have influenced the NBA’s decision to come down on him with the suspension. Asked about the shove after the game, he said: “I’m standing on that. I would do it again. It doesn’t matter who took that shot. You don’t disrespect the game like that.”
Payton played one of his best games of the season Wednesday, contributing 15 points and 11 assists, before the ejection in the last minute.
The Knicks will face Indiana on Saturday and also could be without point guard Frank Ntilikina, who was unavailable with a sore groin Wednesday.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
