PHOENIX– The mild-mannered, calm, stoic Jordan Ott lost his cool after the Phoenix Suns 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, and for good reason: the officiating.

During the fourth quarter, with 1:14 left, the Nets and Suns got into a skirmish that was destined to happen. It started between Royce O'Neale and Terrance Mann with consistent shoving and pushing on respective ends of the floor.

However, the refs were letting the calls go. Eventually, everything mounted up with a steal by O'Neale on Mann. Shortly thereafter, Egor Dëmin shoved Dillon Brooks to the ground, and then O'Neale shoved Dëmin, and then the kerfuffle started.

Ott wasn't surprised, but he showed some fire that was a bit unfamiliar to those in the press conference room.

“This is where the frustration has come from our team this year. We play hard, we don’t fight, we don’t embellish, and when that gets brought into the game, and when we feel that, that creates frustration for our guys, for me, for all of us. When that gets brought into the game, it’s just hard to overcome,” Ott explained.

The Suns vs Nets had little resistance from the officiating

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Even if calls might seem soft, the officials have an obligation to stop conflicts before they arise. It could've been prevented in the fourth quarter and this situation might not happen.

Guys like Grayson Allen spoke and said that a skirmish was going to break out because of the lack of control. But again, it's not a valid excuse.

Ott has never been full of those ever since he took the job with the Suns. Excuses aren't reasons for not doing what you're supposed to do. But these aren't excuses: the proof is in the pudding.

Granted, the Nets played a solid game and shot over 50% from the field and 40% from deep. Phoenix missed four of its players (three starters) and pulled out all the stops.

If Ott keeps remaining vocal about officiating, there might be more to uncover for how they treat the Suns, and some players with a more storied reputation than others.