The game four matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets turned into an all out slugfest that the Rockets came out the better side of with a 115-96 victory to avoid a sweep and keep their season alive just a little bit longer. 

Being down 3-0 in a playoff series would bring the desperation out of any team and the Rockets certainly showed it. From tipoff, they were ready to fight and the Lakers did whatever they could to match the physicality in the court. 

One particular moment that stands out was the Flagrant 2 foul that was called on Deandre Ayton midway through the third quarter. While guarding Alperen Sengun, who was on a tear for the Rockets with 19 points and six rebounds, Ayton leaped up to defend a potential shot and drove his elbow into the back of Sengun's head.

The Houston crowd was immediately furious with Ayton and after a lengthy review, Ayton was called for a Flagrant 2 that meant he was ejected from the game. As he walked off Kevin Durant, who was on the bench for the Rockets with an injury, waved him off.

After the game though, Ayton had a different story about the situation and asserted that he didn't mean to harm Sengun on the play.

"I know it looks crazy on camera, but I'm not no guy who's a dirty  player or plays like that. If anything, me trying to play dirty I'll hurt myself," Ayton said (via Spectrum Sportsnet). "I just hope he's alright and didn't think it was intentional. I was just playing hard and my elbow slipped up and got him above the shoulders."

Ayton explained that he and Sengun are both "sweaty guys" and that when he went up to defend Sengun he slipped off of the Houston center's shoulder and accidentally collided with his head. 

Either way, Ayton's ejection from the game was a huge loss for the Lakers at a point where they were trailing by 19 points, but still had a quarter-and-a-half to play in the game and reasonably could have mounted a comeback. 

Without Ayton on the floor, they found themselves even more physically challenged against a Rockets team that was playing like their lives were on the line.

Even with Ayton maintaining that the play was unintentional, there's a clear animosity in the air that will likely follow both teams into game five in Los Angeles.