Fred VanVleet (Images Credit: YouTube/@ChazNBA)
The Houston Rockets suffered a tough 104-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night, and the defeat was more bitter due to an ejection involving star player Fred VanVleet. With just over four seconds remaining in the game and the Rockets trailing by three points, VanVleet’s outburst toward the referees cost him a crucial moment in the game and a significant penalty moving forward.

The incident occurred after VanVleet believed he had been fouled during a 3-point attempt by Blazers forward Toumani Camara. As the refs didn’t call the foul, the Rocket star made an offensive foul, and the refs called him for it. In the heat of the moment, VanVleet let his frustrations boil over, directing his anger at the officials.

The Rockets star was seen pointing at them and reportedly calling them derogatory names. Lip readers on social media deciphered that he used the term “you suck” directed at the referees. The situation escalated when VanVleet came extremely close to making physical contact with official John Conley. The Rockets guard apparently jammed his finger into Conley’s face and said, “B*tch a* n***, you a b*tch.”

While VanVleet’s emotions were understandable, the fallout from the ejection could have far-reaching consequences. VanVleet may face significant financial penalties due to his contract with the league, which includes fines for such misconduct. Additionally, the incident could lead to a suspension.

Crew Chief Confesses Foul Should Have Been Called On VanVleet’s 3-Point Attempt

The game’s crew chief, Courtney Kirkland, admitted that the referees made a mistake on Fred VanVleet’s three-point attempt. After reviewing the video, Kirkland acknowledged that Camara had indeed made contact with VanVleet’s hip. The crew chief believed a foul should have been called.

“In live action, we felt that the defender stayed directly on the path of VanVleet during his attempted motion toward the basket. After video review, we see the defender did close space and did make contact with the hip of VanVleet, and a foul should have been called. However, shots would not have been awarded on the play,” Kirkland said.

The loss left the Rockets 12-6 on the season. Fred VanVleet played 28 minutes against the Blazers, recording 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.