Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks and head coach Ime Udoka were both ejected in the final minute of their 128-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night. Brooks, never shy about speaking his mind in any environment, received two consecutive technical fouls after a vehement argument with one of the officials. Udoka was ejected shortly thereafter.
The source of the argument was this play, where Brooks felt he was pushed out of bounds by Khris Middleton while chasing down a loose ball with just under 40 seconds left in the game and Houston trailing by nine points. Not only did Brooks not receive the call, but he was also given a technical for a flopping violation by official Suyash Meta.
After Brooks received his first tech, he followed Mehta and continued arguing until he was hit with a second technical and sent to the locker room. Udoka joined in afterward, and was promptly ejected by crew chief Bill Kennedy.
Dillon Brooks and HC Ime Udoka were ejected after arguing a no-call 😮 pic.twitter.com/wGJuvQS8AT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 18, 2023
"[My frustration] was about the call," Brooks said after the game. "I'm sick of refs being right in front of the play and not making calls. And then compiling it with a bailout call like a flop or something. I ran full speed to get the ball after I made a great play on trying to get a steal.
"Two hands are on me and then after that I'm throwing the ball and trying to protect myself from not falling into the fans or the bottom of the floor -- I know a guy got injured like that, done for the season. I'm trying to protect myself and then he wants to call a flop with a minute left, it doesn't make sense. ... It's unacceptable for me and that ref shouldn't even be reffing our games, for real."
Brooks' comments are likely to draw a fine from the league for public criticism of officials. After the game, Kennedy explained in the Pool Report why Brooks received his first tech.
"Brooks was assessed his first technical foul for disrespecting a game official using profanity," Kennedy said. "By rule the play was stopped at the 38.9 as we deemed that as the first neutral opportunity following the flopping violation."
An extremely physical All-Defense selection, Brooks has been ejected in the past for flagrant fouls and arguing with referees. He was thrown out just five minutes into his Rockets preseason debut in early October for hitting then-Pacers forward Daniel Theis below the belt while running through his screen.
After signing a four-year, $86 million contract with Houston before the season, Brooks is averaging 13.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on career-best 39% 3-point shooting. The Rockets are 13-10 after the loss to Milwaukee, but have struggled on the road with just a 2-9 record.
