The Houston Rockets were able to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers by taking Game 4 and sending the series back to L.A. But attitudes and frustrations between the two teams began to boil over with multiple technical fouls and ejections and the two teams needing to be separated right after the game ended.
In particular, Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate was seen trash-talking many Lakers, including challenging Maxi Kleber to a fight, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“Hilarious,” Marcus Smart said after the game when asked about the exchange. “Very hilarious.”
Smart has been in the league for a long time and is a known agitator and enforcer, so he has seen basically everything there is when it comes to stuff like this, especially in the playoffs. Most series reach a point where players get tired of each other and there are some minor altercations, but it rarely escalates above some talking and shoving.
Game 4 was full of those moments well before the post-game altercations. Deandre Ayton was ejected in the third quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Rockets big man Alperen Sengun in the head, and while there was obvious contact, even Sengun himself felt the ejection was soft and unwarranted.
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero was also ejected in the final minute, along with Rockets guard Aaron Holiday, after the two began jawing back and forth as the officials tried to maintain order and not let things get out of hand. Though, again, many felt these ejections were unnecessary as well with Luka Doncic offering to pay Thiero’s fine.
This has been a physical series and the Rockets are a physical team, but the Lakers have been matching them every step of the way and, ultimately, Smart isn’t taking these threats from the Rockets too seriously.
Deandre Ayton explains what happened on ejection from his viewpoint
The ejection of Ayton in the third quarter was questionable to say the least. And after the game, the Lakers center explained what happened from his vantage point and how the elbow to Sengun’s head was accidental.
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