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Was it deliberate or not?
This is the question buzzing around NBA discussions after Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton’s ejection during the third quarter of the Houston Rockets’ commanding 115-96 win in Game 4 at the Toyota Center on Sunday evening.
An inadvertent forearm to the head was certainly a hard foul and warranted a flagrant designation. But should it lead to an immediate ejection? Many spectators and analysts found themselves disagreeing with referee James Williams’ decision.
Earlier, in Game 2 of the series between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Williams handed a technical foul to Devin Booker after he tried to prevent a ball from going out of bounds, unintentionally hitting a Thunder player on the arm.
“In my 11 years, I’ve never publicly criticized an official by name… but James [Williams] was awful tonight, without exception,” Booker remarked post-game. “Such officiating damages the sport’s integrity.”
The NBA rescinded the technical foul after the game, but the damage had already been done.
Williams once again found himself at the center of a controversial call in Houston on Sunday. The replay appeared to show that the play was messy, but not malicious.
Ayton first appears like he’s going to jump to block Alperen Sengun’s shot, then quickly tries to switch into a defending position. His forearm starts low on Sengun’s back and then rises up and catches him in the face. It looks more jarring in slow motion. But it didn’t look intentional in real time or upon review.
“I was just trying to brace for contact,” Ayton said postgame. “It slipped… I know it looked crazy, but I’m not a dirty player. I just hope he’s alright.”
It was Ayton’s first ever ejection in his eighth season in the league. The disbelief lingered in his voice and in his teammates’ minds as well.
“That’s some BS,” said Marcus Smart about the call.
LeBron James didn’t hide his frustration either.
“I know what I saw,” he said. “His arm slipped… you have to be pretty good to do that on purpose.”
Even Sengun, the one who took the hit, shrugged at the ruling. “I didn’t expect him to be ejected. That was soft.”
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka reiterated that sentiment as well.
“I was surprised it was a flagrant 2,” admitted Udoka. “That’s the NBA nowadays. They call it a little softer than they used to.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick went further, describing Ayton as having “a kind soul” and insisting the play wasn’t dirty.
“It looked like he was trying to brace himself with his off-arm against Sengun’s body and his arm slipped and hit him in the head,” said Redick. “I don’t think a [flagrant] 2 was warranted.”
By the end of the night, Williams hadn’t just made one controversial call, but he made two more, ejecting both Lakers rookie Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday with a little over a minute left in the game for being physical and talking trash to each other. Ironically, their contact looked more intentional than Ayton’s did.
“I didn’t get a great explanation on Adou,” said Redick after the game when asked why he was ejected. “I’m sure James [Williams] will give you that.”
LeBron was equally confused and angry.
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“I’m more pissed off about them kicking Adou out,” James said after the game. “I thought that was uncalled for and made no sense. That’s the first time he’s ever been thrown out of a game in his life. I don’t think that was warranted. That was ridiculous.”
Game 5 of the series between the Rockets and Lakers is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN.