Heat's Terry Rozier receives one-game suspension for role in Rockets melee; Tyler Herro gets $25K fine

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Dec 31, 2024

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MIAMI — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was suspended for one game for his role in Sunday night’s late-game melee during the victory over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center, and teammate Tyler Herro was fined $25,000. The NBA announced the penalties Tuesday.

Rozier, who dove into the scrum after Herro was tossed by his uniform to the court by Rockets forward Amen Thompson, will sit out Wednesday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kaseya Center.

Rozier, Herro and Thompson, as well as Rockets forward Jalen Green, Rockets coach Ime Udoka and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan, were ejected from Sunday’s game as a result of the incident. Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was ejected moments earlier for bumping referee Marc Davis while arguing an inbounding violation.

In addition to the two sanctions against the Heat, Thompson was suspended two games by the NBA, and Udoka was fined $50,000, VanVleet $35,000 and Green $25,000.

The sanctions were announced by Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations.

Rozier will be eligible to return for Thursday night’s home game against the Indiana Pacers.

The fracas against the Rockets came on a Heat inbounds play with 35.7 seconds remaining in the Heat’s 104-100 victory, when Thompson and Herro initially locked arms amid Herro’s bid to break free and Thompson responding by flinging Herro to the court by his uniform.

No players came off the Heat bench during the incident, which would have resulted in a mandatory suspension.

In a postgame officiating pool report on the incident, Davis said: “During the dead ball, Thompson grabs the jersey and body slams Herro. Herro responds and they are both ejected for fighting fouls. Green is ejected as his actions escalated the altercation. Rozier as well is ejected as his actions were escalators to the altercation. Coach Sullivan is assessed a technical foul and ejected for his unsportsmanlike comments directed at me as I was attempting to redirect (Alperen) Sengun.”

Even ahead of receiving the additional fine, Herro said Tuesday he was surprised by even the ejection.

“It wasn’t much talking, no talking at all, really,” Herro said when asked what transpired between himself and Thompson ahead of the play in question. “They lost control of their feelings when the game started to turn a little bit in our direction. And then the ejection of VanVleet.

“You heard some words from their sideline toward the ref. They were definitely frustrated, but nothing toward me or toward anyone else on our team.”

Thompson, who played at Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest alongside twin brother Ausar, said after the Rockets’ Tuesday practice that there was no trash talk with Herro ahead of their entanglement.

“If he did, I don’t know what he said,” Thompson said. “Just heat of the moment, tense game, obviously a little grabbing.”

“There’s no personal at all. It’s just straight competition. Growing up I used to get into stuff like that with Ausar, obviously. And yeah, just nothing personal.”

The Heat went through Tuesday practice unaware of how the NBA would rule.

“It is whatever it is,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You just deal with it. That didn’t impact our practice. Everybody practiced. We’re not holding guys out in anticipation of anything. We got some things done. We had a good spirit.”

Last season, in the wake of a similar heated moment, Heat forward Jimmy Butler and Marshall, then with the Pelicans, were suspended one game apiece for an altercation, with then-Heat center Thomas Bryant suspended three games for leaving the bench and escalation, and Heat forward Nikola Jovic suspended one game for leaving the bench.

Immediately after Sunday’s game, Rozier, who will lose $143,242 in salary due to the suspension, said he felt no choice other than to come to his teammate’s aid.

“That’s just natural instincts,” Rozier said. “We just got to protect all our guys, but definitely Tyler at all costs. Just natural instincts. I ain’t trying to hurt nobody. But I just seen out the corner of my eye. That’s just who I am.”

Rozier added, “It’s natural instincts. It’s who I am. But I’ve got a lot of love for Tyler, man, just a great dude and we’ve got to protect him — so natural instincts.”