Chaos in Houston! The Suns headed to the Rockets’ arena hoping to shake off Monday’s tough loss against the Grizzlies by getting a much-needed win tonight. And they were doing a decent job of keeping the game competitive during the early minutes. However, things took an unfortunate turn in the second quarter when Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams got ejected after getting into an ugly physical altercation. While the decision seemed questionable to many, official Tony Brothers revealed the reasoning behind it after the game.

During the Pool Report interview conducted by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, Brothers justified why both players were directly ejected instead of being penalized with double-technical fouls, “Their aggressive actions were considered a fight and by rule, fighting technical fouls carry a penalty of automatic ejections.” Yes, any sort of physical altercation, more often than not, leads to involved players getting booted straight away. Moreover, Adams and Plumlee’s fight quickly escalated to an all-out brawl, leaving Brothers with no other choice.

The incident began when Plumlee elbowed Adams in the neck while trying to box him out during a shot attempt by Jalen Green. Although Green converted the mid-range jumper, the two big men got tangled up, with their arms locked around each other. Then, both players butted heads as Adams began walking Plumlee backwards using his 6’11 frame. Obviously, the Suns center was not pleased with the disrespectful act and put his arm on Adams’ neck, pushing him to the ground as both players hit the deck hard.

Sure enough, their teammates, staff, and even the security rushed in to separate the two giants. However, the damage was already done as Plumlee ended up with a bloody forehead because of a cut, while Adams was seen smiling and talking to his former Thunder teammate, Kevin Durant.

Upon review, both players got tossed from the game immediately. Seeing Adams and Plumlee wrestle each other to the ground makes it hard to believe that these are the same players who were part of one of the most wholesome sportsmanship moments a few years ago.

Steven Adams and Mason Plumlee’s brawl brings back memories of Wholesome Moment as Suns suffer after Double Ejection

Tonight’s clash may have ended in disaster, but once upon a time, Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams shared a very different kind of moment—one built on sportsmanship rather than hostility.

Flashback to seven years ago during a regular-season game when both players were on different teams—Adams with the Thunder, Plumlee with the Nuggets. During a play, Adams hit a pump fake so hard that Plumlee went flying, completely losing his balance.

But instead of taking advantage and going up for the shot, Adams reacted in an instant, reaching out to soften Plumlee’s landing and preventing what could have been a nasty fall.

It was a moment of quick reflexes and respect—one that feels almost ironic given how things unfolded between them tonight.

However, it looks like they might no longer be on good terms after tonight’s altercation. Unfortunately for the Suns, the double ejection hurt them more because Plumlee was their starting Center and after he got tossed, their lack of rim protection was exploited by the Rockets. As a result, Kevin Durant and Co. ended up losing by seven points. A forgettable night for them indeed.