The Miami Heat secured a narrow 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets in a game that ended with a significant altercation involving players from both teams. With just 30 seconds remaining, a confrontation erupted between Amen Thompson of the Rockets and Tyler Herro of the Heat while jostling for position during an inbounds play. The situation escalated quickly when Thompson confronted Herro, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him to the ground. This led to an immediate response from players on both teams, resulting in a benches-clearing brawl.
Assistant coaches, team staff, and arena security were called in to separate the players as the chaos unfolded. Amidst the fracas, Herro was seen clapping at Thompson, indicating the tension between the two. The altercation led to multiple ejections, including Thompson, Jalen Green, and Houston's head coach Ime Udoka. The Heat's Terry Rozier and Herro were also ejected, leaving both teams to finish the game with diminished rosters.
Despite the tumultuous ending, the Heat managed to maintain their lead and clinch the win. Herro led Miami with an impressive 27 points and nine assists, contributing significantly to their record of 16-14. Other notable performances included Nikola Jokic with 18 points and Haywood Highsmith with 15 points and eight rebounds. For the Rockets, Dillon Brooks was the standout scorer with 22 points, while Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds. The league is expected to review the incident and impose fines or further disciplinary actions in the days ahead.
