Houston Rockets Hit with Triple Fine After Outbursts in Sacramento Loss
Tensions ran high in Sacramento Tuesday night, resulting in a triple fine for the Houston Rockets after fiery confrontations with NBA officials. Head Coach Ime Udoka, forward Tari Eason, and center Alperen Sengun all faced disciplinary action for separate incidents during the heated contest against the Sacramento Kings.
The largest penalty, a hefty $50,000 fine, was levied against Udoka. The NBA ruled that Udoka had confronted and used inappropriate language towards a referee during the game.
Further compounding his penalty, Udoka refused to leave the court promptly after being ejected and continued to publicly criticize officiating after the game.
In addition to Udoka’s fine, Eason was penalized $35,000 for throwing a towel and using inappropriate language directed at a fan following the game. Sengun also received a fine, $15,000, for addressing a referee in an inappropriate manner. Both Udoka and Sengun were ejected with just over a minute remaining in the game.
Video footage from the incident fueled the controversy.
Udoka’s visible frustration boiled over after the game when he spoke passionately about referee John Goble’s performance.
“He didn’t point out clear faults,” Udoka lamented. “There were blatant things that happened right before your eyes and nothing. He points out stupid things like poorly placed blocks, and then doesn’t want to call the fouls that happen before his eyes… That was it. On that last play, Sengun received several fouls, and they didn’t want to call them, so I told him to put on some damn glasses and open his eyes.”
The Rockets’ frustration followed a recent loss to the Golden State Warriors. Adding fuel to the fire, the Rockets have consistently voiced concerns about perceived inconsistencies in officiating throughout the season, contributing to the volatile atmosphere surrounding Tuesday’s match.
What led to the NBA fining Coach Udoka?
## Rockets Ejected: A Night of Frustration in Sacramento
**Host:** Welcome back. The Houston Rockets suffered a tough loss in Sacramento last night, but it wasn’t just the scoreboard that got heated. The NBA levied fines on Head Coach Ime Udoka, forward Tari Eason, and center Alperen Sengun following multiple outbursts during the game. Joining us now to provide his expert insight is former NBA referee, Mark Johnson. Mark, thanks for being here.
**Mark:** Always a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Let’s get right to it. Three fines in one game is pretty unusual. What do you make of what happened last night?
**Mark:** Well, it seems like frustrations boiled over on the Rockets’ side. From what I gathered [1](https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/rockets-kings-aftermath-nba-fines-ime-udoka-alperen-sengun-and-tari-eason/ar-AA1vlKk5), Coach Udoka was ejected in the fourth quarter for arguing with the officials. Eason and Sengun also received technical fouls for their own confrontations. It seems like a combination of close calls and an overall sense of frustration contributed to these incidents.
**Host:** It sounds like a difficult night for the officiating crew as well.
**Mark:** It definitely can be challenging when emotions are running high. Referees are trained to remain calm and impartial, but even the best officials can be affected by a heated atmosphere.
**Host:** What message does this send to the Rockets, and perhaps the league as a whole, with these fines?
**Mark:** It’s a clear reminder that emotional outbursts won’t be tolerated.
The NBA has been emphasizing player and coach conduct in recent years, and fines like these show they’re serious about enforcing those standards.
**Host:** Mark Johnson, thank you so much for sharing your insights on this fiery game.
**Mark:** You’re welcome.
**Host:** For our viewers at home, we’ll have more coverage of this story throughout the day.
