Dillon Brooks staring down one-game suspension after kicking opponent

Dillon Brooks saw his night come to an early end. The Rockets guard picked up his 16th technical foul of the season on Wednesday night — triggering an automatic one-game suspension — after he kicked Jazz guard Collin Sexton in what appeared to be the stomach or groin.The inadvertent contact occurred when Brooks attempted to go for a turnaround jumper, and Sexton knocked the ball away as he went up for the shot.Brooks then attempted to draw a foul by flailing his limbs about, kicking the ball and Sexton in the process. The refs quickly blew the whistle as Sexton was hunched over in some pain. Brooks was called for a kicked ball violation, and referee Tony Brothers handed Brooks the technical foul for the contact with Sexton. Under NBA rules, a player who racks up 16 technical fouls in a season will receive an automatic one-game suspension and a $5,000 fine. Brooks said he was surprised he received the technical.“Usually, those things are [considered] flagrants, and I guess [Brothers] misspoke,” Brooks said, per ESPN.

“I’ll be ready to play on Friday.”Brooks had set himself up to be in this spot earlier this week when he picked up two technical fouls and was ejected from the game in Houston’s 149-109 win over the Suns. He found himself kicked out after an altercation with Kevin Durant. Brooks has averaged 13.9 points per game, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 72 games. Even without Brooks most of the night, the Rockets did win on Wednesday, 143-105....