In Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series, the Rockets defeated the Lakers 115-96 on Sunday night to avoid elimination. The game was essentially a dud until the referees intervened, much to the pleasure of all the fans, after Houston drew away in the third quarter.
Deandre Ayton struck Alperen Şengün in the head with an elbow halfway through the third quarter. Like any play in which someone is struck in the head, a foul was called and the play was reviewed.
Referee James Williams declared that it was “unnecessary and excessive” and ejected the Lakers center after viewing the replay, which fairly obviously demonstrated that there was no intent and that Ayton’s arm simply slipped as he was bracing for contact and unintentionally caught a crouching Şengün in the side of the head.
Ayton thrown out! 👀
Deandre Ayton was leading LA with 19 PTS and 10 REB but was ejected for this hit on Alperen Sengun.
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Perhaps this was an attempt by the officiating staff to prevent things from spiraling out of control, given that it was a 19-point game at the time. And for that reason, you discard a man like Ayton who has no prior experience with this kind of behavior. A message has been sent.
Until the subsequent round of ejections in the fourth quarter, at least, it appeared that way.
