New York (AFP) – Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was fined $50,000, Rockets forward Tari Eason was fined $35,000, and Rockets center Alperen Sengun was fined $15,000 by the NBA, the league announced on Thursday. The incident which prompted all the punishments took place with 1:52 to play in the fourth quarter of Houston’s 120-111 loss at Sacramento on Tuesday. It led to technical fouls and ejections for Udoka and Turkish big man Sengun.
Udoka’s fine was for confronting an official and directing profane language toward a game referee, as well as failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected and public criticism of officiating, which took place in the coach’s post-game news conference. Eason was fined for throwing a towel and directing “inappropriate language” at a spectator seated in the stands after the conclusion of the contest. Sengun’s fine was for inappropriate language directed at a game official.
At 15-7, the Rockets are second in the Western Conference, 1.5 games behind leader Oklahoma City, and fourth overall in the NBA. Sengun has averaged 19.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists a game for the Rockets this season, while Eason has averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per contest for Houston.
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