ROCKETS DEFEAT BULLS

DeMar DeRozan, Dillon Brooks ejected from game after on-court scuffle in Houston

Rockets Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green
Rockets beat the Bulls, 127-117. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Chicago's DeMar DeRozan and Houston's Dillon Brooks were both ejected after being involved in an on-court scrum in Thursday night's game between the Bulls and the Rockets, which Houston won 127-117.

With 6:02 remaining in the third quarter and the Rockets leading 84-75, Jalen Green was bringing the ball up the court when DeRozan came off a screen and hip-checked him, which sent Green down to the court in pain.

“I think there was some contact on some drives, some fouls, previous calls that were not called,” Bulls interim coach Billy Donovan said. “Obviously, DeMar jumped off of that screen and fouled Green."

Brooks took exception and immediately approached DeRozan, who had his back turned to him. DeRozan turned and looked to have elbowed Brooks in the chin, which caused the two to lock arms. Teammates tried to break it up.

“I didn't love it being that he got elbowed,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Brooks' ejection. “He walked over and didn't say anything crazy. But they say the rules are the guy that kind of instigates it to get it to that step after DeRozan did what he did, he got suspended because of that.”

The scrum grew with team staff and security attempting to intervene. Torrey Craig got involved and he and Brooks fell to the ground after tripping over a security guard who had fallen.

After the scrum had been cleared the situation reviewed, the initial foul by DeRozan was ruled a flagrant foul 2 and he was ejected. Brooks was given a technical foul and ejected for his role.

“I don’t think DeMar’s intention was to get a flagrant 2, certainly it was fouling and of course flagrant 1 and they’re shooting a free throw,” Donovan said. "I don’t think that was ever his intention was to do that. I actually was a little surprised that it got elevated to a flagrant 2, personally.”

Udoka added about Brooks: “Had a great game, great impact, wish he didn’t get ejected but like I said I don’t mind him standing up for his guys."

Brooks left the game at the time with a team-leading 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting for Houston, while DeRozan exited with 16 points on just 4-of-15 shooting in 23 minutes.

Crew Chief Curtis Blair spoke to the pool reporter after the game.

“DeRozan was assessed a flagrant foul penalty 2 because the contact was excessive and unnecessary,” Blair said. “Because Brooks escalated the situation, therefore he was given a technical foul and ejected.”

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Astros beat the Guardians, 5-3. Composite Getty Image.

Jake Meyers scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, Isaac Paredes drove in an insurance run and the Houston Astros defeated the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 in 10 innings on Saturday.

Yainer Diaz had a two-run homer in the sixth as the Astros won for the fifth time in six games.

Cleveland's José Ramírez had two hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and extended his on-base streak to a career-best 33 games.

Steven Kwan added three hits, but the Guardians lost their third straight.

Meyers was the automatic runner in the 10th. He advanced to third on Jeremy Peña's grounder to first and scored when a slider by Hunter Gaddis (0-1) on an 0-2 count was low and outside.

Paredes then drove in Jacob Melton with a base hit to right field.

Cleveland had runners on first and second with two out in the 10th but Bennett Sousa struck out Jhonkensy Noel to end the game for his first save of the season.

Josh Hader (2-0) got the win.

Houston starter Hunter Brown, who was trying to become the first pitcher in the majors to reach nine wins this season, went 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run with nine strikeouts.

Key moment

Kwan led off the seventh inning with a walk before Ramírez tied it at 3-3 when he lined Shawn Dubin's changeup into the right field stands for his team-leading 12th homer of the season.

Key stat

Peña extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an RBI infield single in the fifth inning. His career long is 14 games, which he had earlier this season.

Up next

Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee (4-6, 3.89 ERA) is 2-0 in day games this season. Left-hander Brandon Walter (0-0, 0.00), added to the taxi squad on Saturday, goes for Houston.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome