Grizzlies coach Jenkins fined $25,000 for rant on officiating

Grizzlies’ coach Taylor Jenkins got his money’s worth.

Frustrated after Jaren Jackson Jr. was ejected and his team shot 13 free throws to the Jazz’s 29 in a Friday night loss that dropped Memphis to 1-8 on the season, Jenkins went on an extended rant about the officiating calling it “f****** atrocious” among other things.

That earned Jenkins a $25,000 fine, the league announced on Sunday.

Here are Jenkins’ postgame comments, which started with him telling reporters to “Saddle up.”

“One of the most poorly officiated games I’ve ever seen. Record it. I’m fine with it. F****** atrocious. [Jackson Jr.] plays 23 minutes, and is in the paint all night. He’s one of the most professional players in this league and gets a double technical foul, and the excuse I get is that he’s charging at an official. It’s called de-escalation. Twenty-nine free throws to 13, and I’m not that coach. You go back in history, I’ve done this one other time. Our team is competing their asses off — competing their asses off. And this is what happens? The interactions right now with the officials? Complete disrespect. I know what’s coming. It’s unbelievable, the looks on the faces while I’m trying to engage in conversation to defend our guys that are busting their tail right now — busting their tail….

“Again I go back to the interactions. Stern. Nothing. Stonewalled. Ignoring. Then you wonder why our guys are trying to compete. I don’t get it. I look forward to watching the tape, getting responses when I send clips in, all that stuff, to see what should have happened.”

What happened was a fine, but not as large of one as the league might have come down with.