Phoenix Suns center Mason Plumlee and Houston Rockets center Steven Adams were both ejected from their matchup Wednesday night after the two got into what essentially equated to a heavyweight bout in the first half.
Plumlee and Adams got tangled up late in the second quarter of the Rockets’ 111-104 win over the Suns at the Toyota Center while fighting for rebounding position. The shot went in, so it didn’t matter much, but neither Plumlee nor Adams stopped their jostling as play started to move the other way. Within a matter of seconds, the two were locked up and suddenly down on the ground — which led to a number of assistants and officials running in to try to separate the two big men.
Both Plumlee and Adams were quickly ejected from the game.
“Their aggressive actions were considered a fight and by rule, fighting technical fouls carry a penalty of automatic ejections,” crew chief Tony Brothers said when asked why they were tossed instead of being hit with double technicals.
Plumlee finished with four points and six rebounds in 13 minutes. He entered the night averaging 4.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season, his first with the Suns. Adams had one point and four rebounds off the bench for the Rockets. Adams, also in his first season with the Rockets, entered the game averaging 3.7 points and 5.3 rebounds.
The Rockets took a five point lead into the locker room at halftime, and then pushed ahead comfortably right out of the break to cruise to the seven-point win. Jalen Green led Houston with 29 points and seven rebounds while shooting 8-of-16 from the field. Alperen Sengun finished with 20 points and seven assists, Dillon Brooks added with 19 points. Houston now sits at 41-25, which keeps it in lockstep with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 25 points in the loss, though he went 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Kevin Durant added 19 points and seven rebounds, and Devin Booker finished with 19 points. The loss dropped them to 30-36 on the season, and kept them outside of the playoff race.
