NBA fines Rockets after coach’s profane rant, player throws towel at fan
The NBA handed down several fines to the Houston Rockets after head coach Ime Udoka went on an expletive rant toward officials and one player attempted to confront a fan in the crowd.
All of the monetary penalties were in relation to Houston’s game against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, which the Rockets lost 120-111. Udoka and two of his players were fined for their actions.
Late in the fourth quarter of the game with the Rockets down by 12-points, Udoka was ejected after he confronted an official following a play that involved center Alperen Sengun. Udoka then followed the referee to continue arguing but was held back by other members of the coaching staff. Sengun was also tossed from the game.
When speaking to reporters after the game, Udoka said he was upset with ‘blatant missed calls’ during the game while ‘ticky tack, moving screens and (expletive) like that’ were called. He also criticized one of the officials of the game.
(Sengun) got fouled a few times on that drive, and on the layup, and they don’t want to call it. I told him ‘Get some (expletive) glasses. Open your eyes,” Udoka said. ‘Take your sensitivity and emotions out of it and call the game the right way. It’s obvious right in front of you, and John Goble − or whoever it was − sees it, doesn’t call it, and I let him know about it.’
All things Rockets: Latest Houston Rockets news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
In addition to Udoka’s actions, after the game, forward Tari Eason had a near altercation with a fan. According to The Athletic, Eason heard a heckler as he made his way back to the locker room. He reportedly threw a towel and yelled obscenities at the heckler, and then attempted to enter the stand to confront the person before security was able to hold him back. No altercation took place.
Fines given to Rockets by NBA
For their actions on the night, the following fines were handed out to members of the Houston Rockets by the NBA:
Ime Udoka: $50,000
Alperen Sengun: $15,000
Tari Eason: $35,000
Udoka was fined for ‘confronting and directing profane language toward a game official, failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected’ as well as his criticism of the officiating in the press conference.
The league said Eason’s fine was for ‘throwing a towel and directing inappropriate language in the direction of a fans in the spectator stands.’ Sengun was fined for directing inappropriate language toward an official.