Matt Barnes starts off New Year with rant on Derek Fisher
Knicks coach Derek Fisher reacts during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015. Credit: Jim McIsaac
CHICAGO — Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes rang in the New Year with an Instagram rant that included calling Derek Fisher a “snitch” and a “snake,” adding more drama and intrigue to the Knicks’ Jan. 16 game in Memphis. Barnes also referred to Gloria Govan, his estranged wife whom he has accused of having begun a romantic relationship with Fisher.
In the post, Barnes railed about how bad 2015 was for him and the fight he had with Fisher. The NBA suspended Barnes for two games on Monday “for engaging in a physical altercation and threatening” the Knicks’ coach.
The fight between the two former Lakers teammates reportedly occurred at Govan’s Los Angeles home.
“Last BUT NOT LEAST,” Barnes wrote in the Instagram post, “. . . Being stuck in the ‘triangle offense’ w my ex & snitch, I mean former teammate & friend . . . Who went behind my back, messed w my ex, got caught, got dealt w for being a snake, then ran & told the Police & NBA. Instead of taken that a-- whoopin like a man & kept it moving.
“Guess cause I didn’t SNITCH, I get a 2 game suspension by the league They call that LIFE.”
Fisher had a blank stare when he was asked about what Barnes wrote. “I literally don’t have any thoughts about it at all,” Fisher said. “Has nothing to do with beating the Bulls.”
Porzingis still growing?
Kristaps Porzingis is 7-3, but the 20-year-old rookie joked that he’s still growing.
“I’m 7-8 or something, I don’t know,” Porzingis said with a laugh. “There were moments they were telling me 6-11, 7 foot, ‘You’re done.’ I’m 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 now, so 7-8, 7-9, 8 feet maybe, we’ll see.”
Big Pau fan
The Bulls’ Pau Gasol is one of many European players Porzingis admires. “His basketball IQ is one of the highest there is,” Porzingis said. “. . . Those are the things I love to learn from him just to see how he reads the game.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
