Rockets swingman Amen Thompson has been suspended for two games, while Heat guard Terry Rozier has received a one-game suspension, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Thompson and Rozier are being suspended for the roles they played in the on-court altercation that occurred during the final minute of the Heat/Rockets game in Houston on Sunday. In addition to the suspensions, the league announced that Rockets guard Jalen Green has been fined $35K and Heat guard Tyler Herro has been fined $25K for their involvement in the fracas.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has received a $50K fine for verbal abuse of a referee and not leaving the court in a timely manner after being ejected.
Additionally, Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet has been fined $35K for making “reckless” contact with official Marc Davis. That incident occurred moments before the altercation that led to the other penalties.
With Miami up by five points and about to inbound the ball with 35.7 seconds left in Sunday’s game, Herro and Thompson began exchanging words and bumping one another (Twitter video link). Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and threw him to the floor, which led to Rozier tackling Thompson as Green went after Rozier and several other players and coaches converged on the melee.
Once the dust settled, those four players, along with Udoka and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan, were ejected. Sullivan is the only one of those ejected who wasn’t fined or suspended today.
Tensions were already running high leading up to the melee, as VanVleet was tossed from the game after arguing that a timeout should have been awarded to Houston before Davis called the team for a five-second violation on its inbound play (Twitter video link).
VanVleet made contact with Davis during the argument, which the veteran official deemed to be intentional, resulting in the guard’s ejection. Udoka was also sniping back and forth with Davis at that time and was eventually ejected for “unsportsmanlike comments,” per the crew chief.
The suspension will keep Thompson out of action for Wednesday’s game vs. Dallas and Friday’s contest vs. Boston. It will also cost him $127,586, which is 2/145ths of his $9,249,960 full-season salary, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Rozier, who will have to sit out Wednesday’s game vs. New Orleans, will forfeit $143,242, which is 1/174th of his $24,924,126 salary.
“Reckless” lmao. Was pretty minor contact by FVV, not even sure that it was intentional
No suspension for Herro? Also, Marc Davis is trash
You think Herro should be suspended for being thrown on his face?
FVV fined because of his history with refs (some idiot named Ben iirc). I’ve seen players touch refs a lot harder than that and not get a tech.
No. If you make contact with an official unless someone pushes you into it, you’re gone.
That FVV hit was almost a nothing burger…. but it was intentional, it was sneaky.
2 measly games for Amen ….. makes me wonder, if it was Draymond, how many games would be get?
lol
“After the game, Herro said, “Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing. So I’d get mad, too.” Asked about his reaction to Herro’s comments on Tuesday, Thompson said, “Guess I was mad, I don’t know.”
Herro started it. He grabbed Thompson first and said something!!!!! Then Amen took it too far. And Rozuer took it too far. Herro definitely should have been fined a gm. At least pay a fine.
I’ll give Rockets credit. Maybe they growing up. Having a good year so far.
link to si.com
March 21, 2025 ——-
Rockets visit Miami. Should be a good one. Hope everyone plays ……
I have watched it 59304903 times… wtf are you smoking saying “Herro started it”… by what… PLAYING NBA BASKETBALL?! By this logic Draymond Green, Dennis Rodman, and Lance Stephenson shoulda been arrested lol….. All Herro did was aggressively D up… he didn’t even look like he said a word lol
Rozier is a real one. Not many of them though