Getty Ben Simmons drives in traffic during a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Brooklyn Nets now have a record of 1-2 after falling to the Memphis Grizzlies in their last game. This was despite their dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant exploding for 74 points in the loss. Nets fans came into this season excited about the potential of this year’s roster with the addition of three-time All-Star Ben Simmons. But so far, they haven’t had the chance to see much, as Simmons has fouled out twice in the Nets’ first three games.
Simmons fouled out with 3:52 left in the fourth quarter of their matchup against the Grizzlies, with the Nets down just six points. After the game, he didn’t hold back when discussing the sixth foul called against him.
“I just saw the play. It wasn’t a foul. [Orr] called it a foul, made a mistake, it is what it is … it’s really frustrating … it’s not a foul, but it was bull****,” Simmons said following his 7-point outing via ESPN.
“It’s frustrating because it’s late game, fourth quarter, it’s a physical, close game. It’s the NBA. It’s not college. It’s not high school. Some people are going to get hit, some people bleed; it’s basketball.”
Per league rules, players are not allowed to publicly criticize officials. Doing so can warrant a fine north of $15,000.
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Ben Simmons Rips Refs After Loss to Grizzlies
As far as the play itself, Simmons may have gone against league rules by publicly criticizing the officials for assessing him with his sixth foul, but there is some validity to his gripe.
The Grizzlies have a reputation for being a chippy team and fouls that were far more aggressive than the one Simmons committed went uncalled in the same contest. Simmons said that the referees never gave him an explanation as to why the foul was called.
“There was no explanation for that call,” Simmons added. “[Orr] didn’t have anything to say. Same as the technical foul. He said because Ja had a tech, he had to give me a tech because I said something. It wasn’t malicious. It wasn’t at the referee. I thought it was just a part of basketball.
People have emotions. I didn’t cuss at him. I didn’t call him anything. I just said it was a bulls— call, which it was, and f***, let me get out of here. I just don’t want to get fined.”
Ja Morant Tells Wild Story About Simmons Sixth Foul
From the Grizzlies’ point of view, Simmons picking up that crucial final foul was more than just a coincidence. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant told reporters after the game that the play where Simmons committed his sixth foul dates back to his rookie year, where the same type of play resulted in Simmons getting a steal that led to a breakaway dunk.
Four years later, Morant was prepared for the former Defensive Player of the year finalist.
“If y’all want to go dig up a play, I think my rookie year I was in Philly — and the same situation happened like that versus Ben in the first half,” Morant said via ESPN.
“I went to look at Coach to get the play, and [Simmons] ran through the ball, got the steal, and went to dunk … I knew it at that moment. Once I seen him and I was rolling the ball and I was at half [court], I looked at Coach and I see him try to like, ‘Oh yeah.’ So, I knew I had him. He was going to press up, and I was just going to force the ref to make the call.”
Ja Morant explains how he got payback & baited Ben Simmons to foul out.
Ben: “I don’t want to get fined…It wasn’t a foul.”
Brooklyn will have a chance to get back on track in their next game against the Milwaukee Bucks.