Watch: Amen Thompson body slams Tyler Herro in Rockets' loss to Heat

Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Amen Thompson dug his fingers into Tyler Herro's jersey and violently threw him to the floor in the final seconds of a Houston Rockets loss to the Miami Heat, sparking a brawl and a half-dozen ejections in Houston.

The incident occurred with about 35 seconds remaining in the 104-100 setback Sunday at the Toyota Center. Herro, who was among four ejected players, scored a game-high 27 points for the Heat.

"I guess that's what happens when someone is scoring, throwing dimes and doing the whole thing," Herro, who also logged nine assists and six rebounds, told reporters when asked about Thompson. "I'd get mad, too."

The Heat led 99-94 with 35.7 seconds remaining at the start of the physical exchange. Thompson was guarding Herro during a Heat inbound pass. The two players got tangled up before Thompson pulled Herro by the front of his jersey.

The second-year forward faced up with the Heat guard and pulled him back toward the Heat bench. He then pulled Herro over his left shoulder, sending him head-first into the ground.

Players and coaches from both teams swarmed to the area to exchange additional shoves and words before being separated. Heat guard Terry Rozier and Rockets guard Jalen Green joined Herro and Thompson as the players ejected.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and assistant Ben Sullivan also were ejected.

"If what I said gets me kicked out, I'd be kicked out of every game," Udoka said. "Very minimal. He [a referee] was talking to a staff member. I was talking to him. I think he was trying to protect his crew."

Thompson totaled five points, five assists and five rebounds.

"During the dead ball, Thompsons grabs the jersey and body slams Herro," referee crew chief Marc Davis said in a pool report, when asked to detail the incident.

"Herro responds and they are both ejected for fighting fouls. Green is ejected as his actions escalated the altercation. Rozier as well is ejected as his actions were escalators to the altercation.

"Coach Sullivan is assessed a technical foul and ejected for his unsportsmanlike comments directed at me as I was attempting to redirect [Rockets center] Alperen Sengun."

The NBA most likely will investigate the matter and mete out further discipline to those involved.

Forward Dillon Brooks totaled a team-high 22 points for the Rockets. Heat forward Nikola Jovic scored 18 points off the bench. Heat center Bam Adebayo chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Heat, who trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, outshot the Rockets 44% to 39.2%. They outscored the Rockets 31-27 in the first quarter. The Rockets held a 23-22 scoring edge over the next 12 minutes, but still trailed 53-50 at halftime.

The Rockets started the third quarter with a 16-4 run, but the Heat ended it with an 11-3 surge to keep the game tight. Green poured in 14 in the quarter to help the Rockets outscore the Heat 32-28 and carry an 82-81 edge into the fourth quarter.

The lead changed hands five times over the final 12 minutes. The Rockets opened a seven-point lead through the first four minutes of the quarter. But the Heat responded with an 8-0 run. Herro and the Heat later used a 9-0 surge to put the game away.

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, who was ejected before the melee, scored 16 points in the loss. Sengun totaled 18 points and totaled 18 rebounds and six assists for the Rockets.

"I don't think anything during the course of the game would indicate that it would go to that," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the game's seven ejections.

"It just shows you how competitive things are in both conferences. They are fighting for their spot. We are fighting for our place in our conference.

"It's a shame that'll be the discussion of the game because really it was about the competitive character our guys brought."

The Heat (16-14) will host the New Orleans Pelicans (5-27) at 7:30 p.m. EST Wednesday in Miami. The Rockets (21-11) will host the Dallas Mavericks (20-12) at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Houston.