SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the wake of an already-emotional finish to the Houston Rockets’ 120-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in which Rockets coach Ime Udoka was ejected late in the fourth quarter, the most intense moment took place off camera.
As third-year Rockets forward Tari Eason left the court and walked through the tunnel near the visitor’s locker room, he heard a heckle from a nearby fan and threw his towel in response while yelling obscenities toward the fan.
Eason then attempted to enter the stands, running up the ramp that leads to the lower concourse at Golden 1 Center and nearly reaching the fan section when nearby security officials were able to hold him back. Eason, who was held from behind by one official and from the front by another who jumped over a nearby railing to impede his path, relented after a few moments and headed for the locker room.
The Rockets were not immediately available for comment.
Little did anyone know Udoka’s fiery finish wouldn’t be the end of the frustration for Houston.
With 1:52 left, Udoka was incensed at a no-call after Rockets big man Alperen Şengün drove to the rim. He repeatedly pursued referee John Goble at midcourt and was assessed the two technical fouls that resulted in his ejection.
A look at how Ime Udoka was ejected, along with Alperin Sengun. This chippy game ends with a frustrated Rockets team falling to the Kings tonight as Mike Brown unloads his bench. pic.twitter.com/uFcmDTnylR
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) December 4, 2024
Udoka didn’t hold back afterward either.
“Blatant missed calls right in front of you,” he said when asked about his reaction. “They’re calling ticky-tack moving screens, and bulls*** like that, and then you don’t want to call the obvious ones right in front of you, so that was it. Alpie got fouled a few times on that drive, and on the layup, and they don’t want to call it. I told him ‘Get some f****** glasses. Open your eyes.
“Take your sensitivity and emotions out of it and call the game the right way. It’s obvious right in front of you, and John Goble — or whoever it was — sees it, doesn’t call it, and I let him know about it.”
(Photo: Sergio Estrada / Imagn Images)
