The Los Angeles Clippers’ Matt Barnes has taken umbrage with the Phoenix Suns and their owner, Robert Sarver. For whatever reason, the high-strung Barnes cannot keep it together when he steps on the court against one of his many former teams.
Earlier this season on Nov. 15, Barnes was ejected from a game against the Phoenix Suns after receiving his second technical foul. Many people, including myself, point to that game as the turning point in Barnes’ season.
His aggressiveness and production have both improved dramatically since that time. Before that game against Phoenix, Barnes was shooting a woeful 43 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc. Now, Barnes is shooting nearly 60 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range.
That ejection and his subsequent feud with the Suns may have saved his career, and the Clippers’ season.
Barnes Fined For Cursing At A Suns Fan
After the latest Clippers’ victory over the Suns, the NBA levied a fine against Barnes for what it called “inappropriate language”.
"Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a fan, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.The incident occurred with 4:28 remaining in the second quarter of the Clippers’ 120-100 win over the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 25, at US Airways Center."
The alleged incident happened after Barnes was called for an offensive foul. He argued the call vehemently and was awarded a technical foul for his trouble. That is his third technical foul this season against the Phoenix Suns, and four technicals in his last seven games against Phoenix.
Barnes Claims Robert Sarver Started It
After the fine was announced, Barnes took to Twitter to refute the idea that he was cursing at a fan.
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Barnes was clearly upset over the fact that Sarver started the altercation, and then, allegedly, “snitched” on Barnes to the NBA office over his language.
It is tough to know who to believe in this instance. Neither Barnes nor Sarver have much credibility. Barnes is one of the more fiery guys in the NBA, and has been involved in numerous incidents involving fans of the opposing team.
Dec. 12, after a loss to the Washington Wizards, Barnes was alleged to have kicked a water bottle into the stands and then cursed out nearby fans. The NBA fined Barnes another $25K for that incident.
Remember Sarver and the Chicken Suit
Sarver has a history of doing strange things and heckling the opposing team and coach. In May of 2005, Sarver flapped his arms and heckled the San Antonio Spurs who were playing in Phoenix without two of their core players.
He also got on the public address system before a preseason game against those same Spurs earlier this year to apologize to paying fans who came to see the NBA champions and instead got a team without five of its best players, and one that was coached by an assistant.
“This is not the game you paid your hard-earned money to watch,” Sarver told the crowd. “I apologize for it. And I want you to send me your tickets if you came tonight with a return envelope and I’ve got a gift for you on behalf of the Suns for showing up tonight. Thank you.”
That led infamously grouchy Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to reply:
“The only thing that surprises me is that he didn’t say it in a chicken suit. I’ll just leave it at that,” Popovich said
NBA Clears Sarver, But Barnes Still Not Buying It
Marc Stein, of ESPN, is reporting that a league spokesman contacted him and told him that the NBA has reviewed the incident and determined that Sarver was not the instigator.
Barnes admitted to having a back-and-forth with some fans near where Sarver was sitting, but he maintains it was mostly friendly.
Here is Barnes explanation of what happened:
“I was talking to a 13-year-old boy and his dad,” Barnes said. “We were kind of going back and forth and there were two guys behind them that were heckling me the whole game. I was laughing and messing with them. I had a bad game shooting and they were just on me. I said something to the little boy because someone said you were fined $25,000, and I was like, ‘That was a lot of money, huh?’ And he looked at me and smiled. Then the owner said what he said, and I responded. You can ask him what he said. He said enough to make me respond. We don’t like each other. He didn’t like me when I was there and I didn’t like him when I was there, so it is what it is.”
Nobody Was Right
Whether Sarver started things off by cursing and heckling Barnes, or whether Barnes just cannot keep his anger under control, neither is going to win any good sportsmanship awards. Regardless, Barnes seems to have taken the latest fine with a sense of humor.