Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets has received a two-game suspension, while Miami’s Terry Rozier will sit out for one game due to their involvement in a heated altercation during the closing moments of the recent Rockets-Heat matchup.
In addition to the suspensions, the NBA has imposed a hefty $145,000 in fines stemming from the incident. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was fined $50,000 for verbally confronting a game official and failing to exit the court promptly. Meanwhile, Jalen Green of the Rockets was fined $35,000, and Tyler Herro of the Heat was fined $25,000 for their roles in the scuffle.
Separately, Fred VanVleet of the Rockets was also fined $35,000 for making contact with referee Marc Davis just before the altercation erupted.
The suspensions will cost Rozier approximately $143,242 and Thompson about $127,586 in lost salary.
The final minute of the game proved chaotic, resulting in seven ejections, including VanVleet, Thompson, Rozier, Udoka, assistant coach Ben Sullivan, Green, and Herro. VanVleet was the first to be ejected after making contact with Davis following a controversial five-second call against the Rockets.
Tensions escalated quickly, as Thompson was seen throwing Herro to the ground after a verbal exchange. Rozier quickly joined the fray, leading to a significant on-court confrontation involving players from both teams.
Despite the chaos, Herro stood out with an impressive performance, scoring 27 points, along with nine assists and six rebounds. He later commented on the incident, suggesting that Thompson’s frustration stemmed from his strong performance. “Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro remarked. “I’d get mad, too.”
The Miami Heat ultimately secured a 104-100 victory, overcoming a seven-point deficit with a late surge of 19-5. At one point, the Rockets had a comfortable 12-point lead in the third quarter.
Herro reflected on the game, stating, “I think they lost control of their feelings when the game started to turn a little bit in our direction.” He noted that VanVleet’s ejection contributed to the Rockets’ frustration.
After the altercation, Herro reported a bruise on his hip from the fall but confirmed he plans to play against the Pelicans on Wednesday.
