Altercation in Sunday‘s Rockets-Heat game, featuring seven ejections, suspensions for Amen Thompson and Terry Rozier, and $145,000 in fines. The Miami Heat orchestrated a 104 100 comeback victory with an emphatic performance by Tyler Herro.
The NBA has fined Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson two games and Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier one game as a result of their altercation during the waning moments of Sunday night’s Rockets-Heat game. The league fined them close to $145,000 on Tuesday in response to the chaotic ending of a game.
Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka received a $50,000 fine for verbally abusing a match official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner. Meanwhile, Jalen Green of the Rockets was fined $35,000, and Miami’s Tyler Herro was fined $25,000 for their involvement in the scuffle. Additionally, Fred VanVleet of the Rockets was fined $35,000 for making contact with referee Marc Davis in a separate incident that preceded the skirmish.
The suspensions will also cost Rozier and Thompson a small fortune in salary. Rozier is expected to lose around $143,242 while Thompson is expected to lose an estimated $127,586.
The contentious moments started late in the fourth quarter when seven were ejected: VanVleet, Thompson, Rozier, Udoka, Houston assistant coach Ben Sullivan, Green and Herro. A sequence that started when VanVleet was ejected for contact with referee Davis after a five-second violation was called against the Rockets.
The next thing that happened was a further escalation: Thompson and Herro got into a verbal exchange, and Thompson threw Herro to the court. In came Rozier, and a melee ensued with both teams’ players pushing, shoving, and shouting at each other until officials managed to regain control.
Herro, who led all scorers with 27 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, said after the game that he thought Thompson was frustrated with how he was playing.
“Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro said. “I’d get mad, too.”
Miami overcame a seven-point deficit with seven minutes remaining to secure a 104-100 victory, fueled by a late 19-5 run. The Rockets had led by as many as 12 points midway through the third quarter.
Herro added, “I think they lost control of their feelings when the game started to turn a little bit in our direction. And then obviously the ejection of VanVleet, you heard some words from their sideline towards the refs. They were definitely frustrated.”.
While the physicality of play didn’t go without a bruise near his hip from falling, Herro affirmed he will be good to go for the next game Wednesday when Miami hosts the New Orleans Pelicans.
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