Ime Udoka Ejected from Rockets-Lakers Game After Confrontation with LeBron James

NBA players getting into wars of words with the opposing coach are rare enough.

Rarer still are instances of NBA players and coaching getting into wars of words that end with the coach being shown the door.

That’s precisely what took place Saturday night, as the Lakers rode a 35–14 second quarter to an convincing 107–97 victory over the Rockets.

A chippy affair came to a head late in the contest when Los Angeles forward LeBron James and Houston coach Ime Udoka began talking. Referee J.T. Orr monitored the conversation, and when it was over he issued both James and Udoka technicals. Since it was Udoka’s second of the game, he was ejected.

Ime Udoka was just tossed from the game for picking up his second technical foul of the game. This one came after him and LeBron James were jawing at each other and both got T'd up - Udoka's second and James' first

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 3, 2023

Ime Udoka got ejected after having some words with Bron ???? pic.twitter.com/GzNak5ZLzn

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 3, 2023

Udoka had incurred his first technical foul in the first half.

James, due to his advanced age, has played with or against many of the league’s coaches—including Udoka. James’s Cavaliers teams went 6–2 against Udoka’s teams from the 2007–10 seasons.