Grayson Allen Pushes Back After Ejection, Questions Officials’ Decision in Suns vs. Thunder Matchup
During the Phoenix Suns’ brutal 49-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, one moment stood out above everything else. Suns guard Grayson Allen was tossed from the game after trying to fight through a screen and making hard contact with Thunder center Chet Holmgren—though Allen wasn’t sold on the ruling.
“I felt like it was a solid foul within the physical nature of the game,” Allen told Suns reporter Duane Rankin afterward. “There were some tough hits happening on box-outs… He was cutting into me. Sure, it was a foul, but I thought it fit within the physicality tonight.”
The play occurred with 5:18 left in the third quarter, with Oklahoma City already leading 94–58. As Holmgren appeared to set a screen, Allen extended both arms and knocked him to the ground, sparking a brief confrontation between players. After reviewing the play, the officials ruled it a flagrant 2, which meant an automatic ejection.
Allen admitted he didn’t expect that outcome, telling Rankin that the explanation he received sounded “like the definition of a flagrant 1.” He pointed to a recent Suns-Timberwolves game, where Rudy Gobert was thrown out for elbowing Mark Williams in the back midair during a layup attempt.
Under NBA rules, a flagrant 1 involves “unnecessary” contact, while a flagrant 2 requires contact considered both “unnecessary and excessive,” with severity and risk of injury as the main differentiators. That gray area—left to the referees’ judgment—is where Allen’s frustration lies.
Physical Play Ramps Up as Suns Collapse Against Thunder
For Allen, part of what made the call feel inconsistent was the way the game’s intensity had steadily escalated. The Thunder are known for their tough defense and relentless style, and Phoenix attempted to respond in kind—especially as their offense sputtered.
“As players, we adjust based on what is or isn’t being called, and we try to match that line,” Allen explained. “The game got more physical as it went on—us matching their physicality, them matching ours.”
Players adapt from play to play, but some Suns admitted they didn’t bring the edge needed.
“I played soft today,” forward Dillon Brooks said. “I should’ve been the one mixing it up instead of Grayson. They called two quick ones on me and I didn’t respond. I was weak.”
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