Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fined $50,000 by the NBA for his actions during Tuesday’s 120-111 NBA Cup loss to the Sacramento Kings. Udoka and fourth-year center Alperen Sengun were ejected late in the fourth quarter, and third-year forward Tari Eason reportedly ran after a Kings fan in the stands after the defeat.
NBA fined Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason for tossing a towel and using inappropriate language in the direction of a fan
Udoka was docked for confronting and directing profane language toward a game official, failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected, and public criticism of the officiating. Eason was fined $35,000 by the NBA for tossing a towel and using inappropriate language in the direction of a fan after the game.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, as Eason left the court and walked through the tunnel near the visitor’s locker room, he heard a heckle from a nearby fan and threw his towel in response while yelling obscenities toward the fan.
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Eason then attempted to enter the stands, running up the ramp that leads to the lower concourse at Golden 1 Center and nearly reaching the fan section, when nearby security officials were able to hold him back.
The 6-foot-8 wing was held from behind by one official and from the front by another who jumped over a nearby railing to impede his path, relented after a few moments and headed for the locker room.
Sengun was fined $15,000 by the league for directing inappropriate language toward a game official
Additionally, Sengun was fined $15,000 by the league after directing inappropriate language toward a game official. Udoka and Sengun were both assessed technical fouls and ejected with 1:52 remaining in Tuesday’s game.
“Missed calls, blatant missed calls right in front of you,” Udoka said of referee John Goble after the game. “You’re calling ticky-tack moving screens, little s—t like that, but you don’t want to call the obvious ones right in front of you.
“That was it. Thought [Sengun] got fouled a few times on that drive and on the layup and they don’t want to call it. So I told him to get some f—king glasses and open your eyes.”
The Rockets visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
