LOS ANGELES — Not much went right for Dwight Howard on Sunday night.
He picked up two fouls in 3:40 of the first quarter and spent the rest of that quarter on the bench. He picked up a third in the second quarter (and a technical foul), and by the time he picked up the next couple in the third the Clippers had been blown the game wide open.
Then early in the fourth Howard picked up a sixth foul for a bump on Blake Griffin in transition. In frustration he threw the ball at the referees feet (and may have said something as well).
He got a quick second technical and was tossed. He was gone anyway with the sixth foul.
“It’s frustrating,” Howard said after the game of his foul trouble. “I’m emotional playing in the playoffs, I want to win so bad, you know it’s frustrating. I just have to keep a more even keel.”
At least he didn’t have to hang around and watch the painful fourth quarter of a 128-95 Clippers wins. Rockets’ fans wish they didn’t have to watch it, either.