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[Saba Sports News] Pat Spencer was ejected from Wednesday’s Game 5 after channeling his inner Zinedine Zidane with a headbutt on Alperen Sengun.
The Golden State Warriors guard saw extended minutes in the blowout loss to the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center, as head coach Steve Kerr benched his starters midway through the third quarter.
Spencer made the most of his time on the floor, scoring 11 points in 14 minutes off the bench—until things took a turn in the fourth quarter.
During a scramble for a loose ball under the basket, Spencer committed a hard foul on Dillon Brooks. Alperen Sengun approached Spencer in response, and Spencer lightly headbutted him. The moment quickly escalated as Warriors center Trayce Jackson-Davis joined the fray and shoved Sengun.
After video review, Spencer was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected. Sengun and Jackson-Davis received offsetting technicals, resulting in one technical free throw for Houston, which Fred VanVleet converted.
The game ended in a 131-116 win for the Rockets, who staved off elimination and forced a Game 6. It marked the latest flare-up in an increasingly testy series that has already featured multiple scuffles—including one in Game 2 involving Spencer and a towel toss from Tari Eason.