Heat’s Rozier suspended, Herro fined after scuffle in Houston
The NBA on Tuesday suspended Heat guard Terry Rozier and fined Tyler Herro for their roles in a late-game skirmish between the Heat and Rockets on Sunday night.
Rozier was suspended one game, without pay, and Herro was fined $25,000. Rozier will miss Wednesday night’s home game against New Orleans.
For the Rockets, Amen Thompson was suspended two games without pay. Jalen Green was fine $35,000, and Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fine $50,000.
“It is whatever it is,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Tuesday’s practice regarding the uncertainty surrounding the situation, two hours before the NBA announced discipline. “You just deal with it. That didn’t affect our practice. Everybody practiced without holding guys out in anticipation of anything.”
The incident that led to those suspensions and fines happened with 35.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Rockets at Toyota Center on Sunday.
It began when Thompson and Herro were jostling for position ahead of an inbounds pass, with the Heat already ahead by five points..
Things then got heated, as Thompson and Herro got in each other’s faces before Thompson grabbed Herro’s jersey and threw him down to the court. Players and coaches from the Heat and Rockets immediately rushed over as a brief scuffle unfolded.
“There wasn’t much talking. No talking at all, really,” Herro said after Tuesday’s practice when asked what sparked the incident. “They lost control of their feelings when the game started to turn a little bit in our direction and obviously the ejection of [Fred] VanVleet. You heard some words from their sideline toward the ref. They were definitely frustrated. Nothing towards me or anyone else on our team.”
It took officials, coaches, staff members and even arena security to diffuse the situation, with Herro smiling and clapping at Thompson while they were both being held back.
As a result of the altercation, Herro and Terry Rozier were ejected for the Heat.
For the Rockets, Green and Thompson were ejected. Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan were also ejected.
“I had no hostility toward the Rockets,” Herro said. “It kind of just played out that way. I like getting under people’s skin anyway. That’s what I do.”
In the end, Herro wasn’t suspended and came away relatively unscathed other than a small bruise on his right hip after being tossed to the court by Thompson.
“I got a little something right here, a little bruise,” Herro said. “But I’m straight.”
Before discipline was announced, Herro said: “I hope I don’t get suspended or anything. I don’t even think I should have been thrown out of the game.”
Jimmy Butler, who is set to play on Wednesday after a five-game absence, was asked what would have happened if he had been in Houston for the game.
“I love that,” he said. “I wish I was there to get in on the mix. For sure, I’m being tossed out. I would probably be on the floor for that one. If I was on the bench, I’m crossing that line.”
Separately from the altercation, Rockets guard VanVleet has been fined $35,000 for making reckless contact with a game official, which occurred with 47.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
The fines and suspensions were announced by former Pistons star guard Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations.
This story was originally published December 31, 2024 at 3:12 PM.
