Chris Paul's Brother Briefly Ejected in Strange Mix-Up in Rockets vs Jazz Game 4
Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul led his team to a 100-87 victory over the Utah Jazz in Sunday's Game 4 of their second-round playoff series, but he wasn't the only member of his family involved in the dramatics at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Paul's brother, C.J. Paul, was temporarily ejected from his baseline seat.
Amick explained C.J. was escorted away by a security guard, but he missed just one play before returning. TNT cameras captured Chris and Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni talking to security as well, and C.J. revealed what happened.
"The guy next to me called [referee James Williams] a [expletive], but they thought it was me," C.J. said, per Amick. "The thing is, I know James. He reffed me in college. But [the security guard] comes up to me, and says 'Hey, we need to talk to you in the back.' I said, 'For what?' I told them what happened. I don't talk like that."
C.J. returned to his seat to watch his brother put away the Jazz and seize a 3-1 lead.
James Harden struggled at times with eight turnovers and an 8-of-22 shooting clip from the field, which left Paul as the primary playmaker down the stretch. He mixed in a combination of mid-range jumpers, floaters in the lane and crisp passes when defenders collapsed on his penetration and helped counter a Utah run that cut the deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter.
Paul finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and six assists behind 12-of-23 shooting from the field and is now one win away from advancing past the second round of the postseason for the first time in his illustrious career.
He will have the opportunity to clinch his spot in the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday when his Rockets host the Jazz in Game 5.
