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The NBA announced fines Thursday for Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka ($50,000), forward Tari Eason ($35,000) and center Alperen Şengün ($15,000) following Houston’s 120-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Udoka and Şengün were both fined for using inappropriate language toward a referee, while the coach also “[failed] to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected.”
Eason had a tense exchange with a fan and threw his towel after the game ended, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick. He also tried to enter the stands to confront the fan before being held back by security personnel.
The Kings were well ahead in the final minutes of the contest, but that didn’t stop tensions from boiling over on the Houston bench.
With 1:52 remaining, Udoka was upset when the officials didn’t whistle Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis for contact on Şengün inside. He was quickly ejected and continued arguing with the ref. Moments later, Şengün was sent back to the locker room as well.
Udoka vented his frustration in his postgame press conference.
“Blatant missed calls right in front of you,” he said. “You’re calling ticky tack moving screens and little s–t like that, but you don’t want to call the obvious ones right in front of you. Alpi got fouled a few times on that drive and on the layup—they don’t want to call it. Told them to get some f–king glasses and open your eyes.”
The defeat to Sacramento dropped Houston to 15-7 on the season. The result snapped a three-game winning streak. The Rockets still sit second in the Western Conference at 15-7, 1.5 games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their next game is Thursday night on the road against the Golden State Warriors.
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