Dwight Howard may be a critical part of the Rockets game plan but if the Rockets manage to win Game 5 and force a Game 6, they will be without their star big man.

During the second quarter, Howard and Andrew Bogut got into a very light shoving match. However, given the pair’s history during the series, the referees apparently thought that this was enough contact to warrant a double technical.

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For that little push, Howard received his seventh technical of the playoffs.

As inconsequential as that contact was, it could have huge ramifications for the series. If there is a Game 6, the Rockets would be without Howard because league rules stipulate that a player be suspended for one game when they receive their seventh tech of the playoffs.

Of course, the league could always rescind the technical but the Rockets will have to beat the Warriors at Oracle on Wednesday night for any of these hypotheticals to even matters.

[SB Nation]