National Basketball Association

Rockets' Dillon Brooks fined $35K, Ime Udoka fined $25K for comments to refs

Published Dec. 19, 2023 3:16 p.m. ET

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks and coach Ime Udoka have been fined for directing inappropriate language to officials at the end of a 128-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Brooks was fined $35,000 for his language and for publicly criticizing the officiating. Udoka was fined $25,000, the NBA announced Tuesday.

Brooks was ejected after being called for flopping and picking up two technical fouls with 38 seconds left in Sunday's game. Udoka also was whistled for two technicals after coming out on the court. Bucks star Damian Lillard made three of the four ensuing free throws following the ejections, giving the Bucks a commanding 12-point lead.

Following the game, Brooks shared why he was so upset with the officiating on the play that led to his technical foul.

"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," Brooks told reporters. "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. After that, I'm throwing the ball and trying to protect myself and not falling into whatever that was — into the fans or the bottom of the floor.

"I'm trying to protect myself, and then on top that, he wants to call a flop with a minute left. That doesn't make sense. Make calls during the game while the game is going on, but not trying to get something off. It's unacceptable for me. That ref shouldn't even be reffing our games, for real."

Udoka also chimed in on the matter, expressing frustration over the officials' decision to assess Brooks with a flopping technical foul.

"It was a blatant missed push out of bounds on that call, obviously," Udoka told reporters. "Same refs missing the same calls throughout the game — calling it very quickly or tight on other plays. It was that specific play, but it was a ton of missed calls throughout."

The Rockets signed Brooks to a four-year, $86 million deal over the offseason in hopes of adding more veteran help to a young roster that went 22-60 last season. The small forward is scoring 14 points per game this season, shooting career-bests from the field (47.3%) and 3-point territory (39.5%).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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