Pat Spencer sparks controversy with headbutt on Alperen Sengun, gets tossed in fiery Warriors-Rockets playoff clash

The Golden State Warriors faced a crushing 131-116 defeat on Wednesday night. On top of that, guard Pat Spencer was ejected after a heated altercation with Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during Game 5 of their first-round series. The moment caught on camera from different angles sparked a huge discussion among fans as the Warriors prepare to pull another win in the upcoming game.

With just over four minutes remaining, tensions escalated on the court. In a routine battle for a rebound between Spencer and Dillon Brooks quickly elevated. Spencer shoved Brooks to the floor during the scramble, drawing a visible reaction from the Rockets. Sengun immediately confronted Spencer, but instead of defusing the situation, Spencer responded with a shocking headbutt that stunned the home crowd and the Rockets' bench.

The altercation ignited a wave of emotion on the floor. Trayce Jackson-Davis stepped in and shoved Sengun, escalating the chaos. Both Sengun and Jackson-Davis received technical fouls, but Spencer was swiftly ejected from the game. It was a moment that captured the frustration and unraveling of a Warriors squad struggling to stay alive in the series.

Golden State had trailed by as much as 31 points earlier in the contest, prompting head coach Steve Kerr to bench his starters with about five minutes left in the third quarter. Rockets coach Ime Udoka followed suit shortly after. But in a surprising twist, the Warriors' second unit sparked a furious comeback attempt, slicing the deficit to just 17 midway through the fourth. Udoka, sensing a potential collapse, reinserted his starters. Kerr, however, chose to ride it out with his bench players— including Spencer.
The game’s intensity surged in the final minutes, and that’s when the confrontation between Spencer and Sengun exploded. It was an ugly scene in an otherwise dominant Rockets performance that ultimately resulted in a 131-116 win, extending the series to a Game 6.
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Sengun, one of the Rockets’ most consistent players this season, showed restraint after the headbutt, which was critical in avoiding further punishment. Spencer’s ejection, however, raised questions about his judgment.