If you had Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams throwing hands on your NBA bingo card, congrats—you just hit the jackpot.
The matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets got extra spicy Wednesday night when the two big men went full heavyweight mode, locking up in a wild courtside tussle that ended with both getting tossed. And Plumlee? Well, he walked away with a fresh battle scar.
Mason Plumlee And Adams Ejected In Chaos
Late in the second quarter, with the Rockets holding a slight edge over the Suns, Adams and Plumlee were battling for position under the rim. Nothing unusual, right?
Except, these two didn’t stop when the play moved on. Instead of letting go, they got tangled with Adams’ arms locked around Plumlee. And before anyone realized what’s going on, both were on the floor in a full-on wrestling match.
Steven Adams and Mason Plumlee have both been ejected.
pic.twitter.com/6vFPo6kr5d https://t.co/xcTwpLcKuM
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 13, 2025
In a heartbeat, coaches, teammates, and referees rushed in to pull them apart before things got uglier. When the dust settled, both Adams and Plumlee were sent packing with automatic ejections.
“Their aggressive actions were considered a fight, and by rule, fighting technical fouls carry a penalty of automatic ejections,” crew chief Tony Brothers explained during the Pool Report interview.
Referee Tony Brothers on why Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams were ejected for their altercation:
"Their aggressive actions were considered a fight and by rule, fighting technical fouls carry a penalty of automatic ejections." pic.twitter.com/iJpIuGI6wA
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) March 13, 2025
But Plumlee didn’t walk away unscathed. Blood dripped from his forehead as he exited the court, though he played it off afterward.
Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams both ejected after getting locked up and taking it to the floor. #Suns #Rockets pic.twitter.com/nfQTX0iRFw
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 13, 2025
“Nothing major,” he said. Just another night in the trenches for an NBA big man.
Coming back to game stats itself, neither Adams nor Plumlee made a huge impact before their untimely exits. Plumlee wrapped up his night with four points and six rebounds in 13 minutes, while Adams had just one point and four boards. But to be honest, this game won’t be remembered for their box score numbers.
Rockets Stay Hot, Suns Keep Sliding
With their enforcers out of the game, the Rockets took care of business. They got the upper hand by beating the Suns 111-104. Jalen Green was instrumental with his 29 points and seven rebounds. He shot 8-of-16 from the field.
The Rockets’ win pushed them to 41-25, keeping them neck-and-neck with the Lakers and Grizzlies in the Western Conference playoff hunt.
For the Suns, it was yet another frustrating loss. And they have a fair share in this season. Bradley Beal tried his heart out with 25 points. But his 0-of-4 shooting from deep didn’t help. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker added to the hustle with 19 each, but Phoenix still failed to seal the deal.
Now sitting at 30-36, the Suns are struggling to stay relevant in the playoff picture, and nights like this aren’t helping their case.
As for Plumlee and Adams? The NBA’s decision on fines or suspensions is still up in the air, but one thing’s for sure—these two aren’t backing down anytime soon. Stay tuned.