Suns Coach Sounds Off on NBA Officials After Nets Clash

Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott was not impressed with the officiating last night.

Jan 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott against the Brooklyn Nets in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns were able to pull out a tough 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, though it didn't come without controversy.

With 1:14 left, the two sides broke out into a scrum after fighting for a loose ball. Several players were assessed technical fouls afterwards, piling on to the other flagrants from earlier in action.

It was, undoubtedly, a physical game from start to finish, though head coach Jordan Ott wasn't a fan of how things played out when speaking with reporters afterwards.

Jordan Ott Sounds Off on NBA Officials

Jan 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott against the Miami Heat at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"It's incredibly hard to officiate. They're a hard playing team. We know what happened to them in LA. They know what happened to us the last couple nights. So we knew they'd come out fighting, and they played extremely hard. They're extremely well coached, so it's two teams that are just scrapping," Ott said after action.

"You got to earn every single victory in the NBA. We get to a certain point, and this is where the frustration has come from our team this year as I felt. We play hard, we don't flop. 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. There's some stuff — it's just hard to overcome, and we got to do it better, keeping our composure, especially in the fourth quarter. But when that stuff gets brought into it, it's extremely hard to officiate, extremely hard to play through some of that, that's where I felt it.

"When we start to really get frustrated is when some of the reactions of an action out there, whether it's embellishment or whatever you want to call it, that's what happens. That's where I saw it tonight. I saw that tonight. So we were able to figure out a way to come out with a victory. But again, great credit to the resilience of this group."

The Suns, notoriously a scrappy group, are a top five NBA team in terms of fouls against per game. It also doesn't help with Dillon Brooks is on the roster, a player notorious for engaging with officials and stirring the pot.

Still, Phoenix wants to establish a physical brand of basketball — and Ott simply wants a fair game called on both sides.