Inside The Rockets

Bill Simmons Blames 'Ridiculous' Referee For Rockets Brawl

The Houston Rockets brawled with the Miami Heat, but neither are at fault according to Bill Simmons.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) is escorted off the court after being ejected against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) is escorted off the court after being ejected against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets weren't going away without a fight in their 104-100 loss against the Miami Heat, and their frustrations from blowing a fourth-quarter lead for the second game in a row were taken out on the referees and their opponent.

A brawl broke out in the final seconds of the game between the Rockets and Heat after Fred VanVleet was ejected for arguing a five-second violation call that drove the game into Miami's favor.

NBA analyst Bill Simmons placed blame on the official for the game erupting into chaos.

The referees in the NBA have been subject to a lot of recent criticism about taking the game in their own hands rather than the players. A week ago, Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond and Joel Embiid were ejected after egregious calls from the officials, which included changing their mind about their initial decision to toss Drummond from the game.

These incidents could be coincidental, especially if they are both happening within a week of each other, but the league should look into the matter and reflect on whether or not the referee was in the right for ejecting VanVleet in the first place.

The Rockets are back in action Wednesday as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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