HOUSTON — Golden State’s Pat Spencer was ejected from Wednesday night’s NBA playoff game against the Houston Rockets after headbutting Alperen Sengun during a scuffle in the fourth quarter.

READ: NBA: Rockets avoid elimination, routs Warriors in Game 5

With Game 5 of the first-round series seemingly out of reach for the Warriors, Golden State coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench with about five minutes left in the third quarter and Houston coach Ime Udoka did the same with about a minute left in the third.

But Golden State’s backups cut the lead to 17 with about eight minutes left and Houston’s starters returned while the Warriors’ backups remained on the floor with about four minutes to go.

Spencer shoved Dillon Brooks to the court while they were fighting for a rebound before Sengun ran into Spencer, who headbutted the big man. Trayce Jackson-Davis then pushed Sengun, and players from both teams ran in to separate the pair.

READ: NBA: Rockets, Warriors get into shoving altercation in heated Game 4

Sengun and Jackson-Davis were both issued technical fouls and Spencer was ejected.

The Rockets avoided elimination in Game 5 and beat the Warriors 131-116 to keep their season alive.

It has been a testy series so far. In Game 4 in San Francisco, the Rockets and the Warriors got into a shoving altercation midway through the second quarter, leading to three technical fouls before tempers flared again shortly before halftime.

Golden State won that game, 109-106.