Kevin Durant Waves Goodbye to Deandre Ayton After Getting Ejected in Game 4

Deandre Ayton was the Los Angeles Lakers' best player until his ejection midway through the third quarter.

Kevin Durant Waves Goodbye to Deandre Ayton After Getting Ejected in Game 4

Deandre Ayton and Kevin Durant (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Deandre Ayton was ejected in Game 4 after receiving a Flagrant 2 foul for an elbow to Alperen Sengun's head.
  • Kevin Durant waved goodbye to Ayton as he left the game, highlighting the moment's significance for the Rockets.
  • Rockets coach Ime Udoka expressed surprise at the ejection, suggesting it reflected the NBA's softer stance on hard fouls.

LeBron James has garnered most of the praise for his leadership in the first three games of their first-round playoff series against Kevin Durant and his Houston Rockets. At the same time, a certain Deandre Ayton has also performed better than expected.

The center has generally found himself on the receiving end of trolls after he has been unable to reach the potential in his NBA career. Many believe that he was a first-overall pick who disappointed more than most.

With the Lakers, the idea was that he would play third or fourth fiddle on a team led by three superstars in James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves.

But in the three playoff games so far, Ayton has stepped up his game. One of the reasons the King manages to end up with double-digit assists is whenever he gets the ball to the center they signed this offseason.

Then came Game 4, and an incident happened that changed the course of the game. Midway through the third quarter, the Bahamian center was trying to slow down Rockets star Alperen Sengun.

While trying to do that, his left elbow hit the Turkish center in the back of his head. After reviewing the play, officials slapped Ayton with a Flagrant 2 foul, which meant he was ejected from the game.

As Ayton was about to walk away, cameras panned to Kevin Durant. The ‘Slim Reaper’ stood up from the bench and got back to his trolling ways when he waved the Lakers’ star goodbye.

The Rockets’ superstar was probably happy that the opposing team’s big man leaving would help his teammates seal the win. Facing elimination, it was the best situation for them.

Rockets head coach felt Deandre Ayton’s elbow was intentional

That was the first time in his career that Deandre Ayton was given his marching orders. When Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was asked about it, he said:

It looked intentional. I was surprised it was a flagrant 2. But that’s the NBA nowadays, and they call it a little softer than they used to.

On one hand, the 48-year-old felt that the Arizona Wildcat intentionally elbowed one of his best players. On the other hand, Udoka did not believe that the incident warranted a Flagrant 2.

Usually, when such incidents happen, the only situation where there is clear intent and malice do officials slap a player with a Flagrant 2 foul.

Udoka felt that even though there was intent, malice was not evident for the officials to throw Deandre Ayton out of the game. Maybe a technical foul and a flagrant one were enough.

The former undrafted forward pointed out how the ejection was a result of the NBA’s changing stance towards hard fouls and altercations. When he played, such things were acceptable to a degree. Nowadays, officials have become, as Udoka would put it, ‘soft.’

Deandre Ayton has unfinished business with the Rockets

After the game, reporters made their way into the Los Angeles Lakers’ locker room to ask Ayton about the ejection. He reiterated that it was not intentional, as he has never played dirty.

Deandre Ayton and Alperen Sengun in Game 4
Deandre Ayton and Alperen Sengun in Game 4 (Image via New York Post/X)

But sweat on both him and Alperen Sengun allowed his arm to slip, and that is what caused the elbow-to-head collision. At this point, California Post’s Michael J. Duarte asked the 27-year-old whether the ejection stopped the hot hand he had in Game 4.

I’m licking my chops. Trust me… I love the intensity, I love the fight I see in the Rockets, and I can’t wait to see them.

Deandre Ayton replied

The Lakers’ center believes that he has unfinished business with the Rockets and would have preferred if they were playing back-to-back. But now, he has to wait until they all return to Crypto.com Arena to resume their battle.

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