NBA suspends Rockets F Dillon Brooks 1 game following 16th technical foul of the season

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA suspended Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks one game on Thursday for picking up his 16th technical foul of the season after he appeared to kick Utah’s Collin Sexton in the midsection.

The Rockets will be without one of their key players when they host first-place Oklahoma City on Friday in a matchup between the Western Conference's top teams.

Brooks, who's averaging 14 points, was issued a technical with seven minutes left in the first quarter against Utah on Wednesday. Brooks got stripped by Sexton as he went up for a turnaround jumper and, in midair, appeared to kick his defender in the midsection. Sexton immediately went down on all fours.

Brooks finished with 21 points, helping the Rockets (50-27) pound the Jazz 143-105 for their 50th win of the season. Houston also clinched a top-six seed in the West.

Under NBA rules, players and coaches are automatically suspended one game once they receive their 16th technical during the regular season. They get an additional game for every two technicals after that.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba