HOUSTON — In a dramatic turn of events during a recent game, Rockets player Amen Thompson caused a stir when he threw Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro to the ground, leading to a fracas that saw six individuals ejected in the final minute of a contest where Miami triumphed 104-100 over Houston.
The tension built when the Heat were preparing to inbound the ball with a narrow lead of 99-94 and only 35 seconds remaining. In the midst of the action, Thompson grabbed Herro’s jersey and forcefully tossed him, an incident that referee Marc Davis characterized as Thompson “body slamming Herro.”
Rockets coach Ime Udoka commented on the situation, noting, “I didn’t see it live, but I re-watched it. They were in each other’s face, bumping chests a little bit, and one guy’s stronger than the other.”
The encounter led to the ejection of Herro, Thompson, and Udoka, along with Miami guard Terry Rozier, Rockets guard Jalen Green, and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Davis stated that both Green and Rozier intensified the conflict, while Sullivan received a technical foul and was dismissed for making inappropriate remarks as he tried to control the team’s Alperen Sengun.
This altercation unfolded after the Heat fought back from a 12-point deficit in the second half. Miami’s comeback was fueled by Houston’s dismal shooting, with the Rockets failing to make 11 consecutive attempts in the fourth quarter. Herro was instrumental in this resurgence, scoring 27 points while also contributing nine assists and six rebounds, an effort that he felt provoked Thompson’s actions.
Herro remarked, “I guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing. I’d get mad too.” He further clarified that there had been no prior conflict between him and Thompson, as he had never interacted with him before and noted that Thompson remained silent with the media after the game.
“Just two competitors going at it, playing basketball,” said Herro. “It was a regular game that we were playing throughout.”
Prior to this confrontation, Houston’s Fred VanVleet had already been ejected after making contact with the referee following a 5-second violation.
Miami secured this victory just one day after a loss to Atlanta, a game they dropped 120-110. Herro’s performance was a silver lining for the team, especially in the absence of their second-leading scorer, Jimmy Butler, who has missed five consecutive games. “They’re top two, three in the West,” Herro remarked, acknowledging their opponent’s strong defensive capability. “Very good defense. Got a bunch of young, athletic guys that can really play, so that’s a good win for us. That’s a stepping stone. We go 2-1 on the road. Put ourselves in a position to win yesterday, and I like how it’s going. We just got to continue to keep getting better.”