Houston Rockets reserve forward Tari Eason was ejected in the first quarter of the team's season-opening 128-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night in Houston.
Eason forcefully shoved Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington in the back with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter. The contact sent Washington sprawling to the floor and led to a brief confrontation between the two players.
After a replay review, the officiating crew upgraded the common foul call to a flagrant 2, which carries an automatic ejection. The decision removed Eason from the game early, leaving Houston to finish its opener without him while still securing the victory.
Eason is in the first season of a five-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rockets. The incident drew attention in the opening game of the season, as the team relied on its depth to close out a comfortable win over the Mavericks.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing