The NBA has handed down fines and suspensions to several players after a fight on Sunday, Dec. 29, between the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat. Houston’s Amen Thompson and Miami’s Terry Rozier were both suspended for their role in the dust-up.
The suspension will cost Rozier about $143,242 in salary, while Thompson will lose about $127,586.
Tempers flared in the final 35 seconds of the game while the ball was being inbounded. Thompson and Miami’s Tyler Herro had some words before Thompson threw Herro to the ground. Both teams came together immediately after.
Rozier was the first man to defend Herro and described his reaction afterward. “We gotta protect all our guys, but especially Tyler at all costs. Just natural instincts, I ain’t trying to hurt nobody, but I seen it out of the corner of my eye. That’s just who I am,” he said.
A fight between the Rockets and Heat 😳 pic.twitter.com/Ju6x8oJ8I3
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 30, 2024
There were seven ejections from the game. Houston’s Fred VanVleet was first, getting tossed for contacting referee Marc Davis following a five-second call being assessed against the Rockets. He was fined $35,000 for the infraction.
All told, the league handed out $145,000 in fines. Houston coach Ime Udoka was fined $50,000 for verbally abusing a game official, the Rockets’ Jalen Green was fined $35,000, and Herro was fined $25,000 for their roles in the fight.
“Just a physical game,” Herro said of the incident. “Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing. I’d get mad, too.”
Herro finished with 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the 104-100 Miami win.
Since the Heat and Rockets play in different conferences, they only meet twice during the regular season. Their next meeting is slated for March 21 in Houston.
