Chris Paul's brother ejected, un-ejected in bizarre sequence during Jazz-Rockets Game 4

Sam Amick | USA TODAY

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SALT LAKE CITY — C.J. Paul wasn’t sure what he’d done.

It was midway through the third quarter, with his brother’s Houston Rockets pulling away from the Utah Jazz in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at Vivint Smart Home Arena. And C.J., who works as Chris’ business manager and was sitting baseline in a checkered collared shirt, was suddenly being told by a security guard that he had to leave.

The cameras caught the entire scene, with C.J. being escorted off the floor while Chris and Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni appeared to talk to the security staff on his way out. In the end, C.J. would only be gone for one play before he returned to his seat. As he explained after the Rockets’ 100-87 win that gave them a 3-1 series lead, it was a case of mistaken identity.

Chris Paul's brother was escorted from his seat, here's what the broadcast showed. Per @Jonathan_Feigen he is back at his seat pic.twitter.com/H6ZxHpaNmT — Born Salty (@cjzero) May 7, 2018

“The guy next to me called (referee James Williams) a (expletive), but they thought it was me,” C.J., who played collegiately at Hampton University and University of South Carolina-Upstate, told USA TODAY Sports. “The thing is, I know James. He reffed me in college. But (the security guard) comes up to me, and says ‘Hey, we need to talk to you in the back.' I said, 'for what?' I told them what happened. I don’t talk like that.”

Asked about the incident after the game, Chris was unsure of the specifics.

"I don't know," he said. "I saw them trying to pull my brother out. That's out. That's out. ... Might not be many playoff games I've played in, but he's been at all of them. That's out. Don't put him out."

And with that, we had the postseason's strangest incident involving fans. From Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook’s dust-ups with Utah fans in Game 6 of the first round to a similar situation with the Rockets’ James Harden after Game 2 in Houston, there have been a string of incidents on this front.

Yet this one, it seems, was the most confusing yet.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick on Twitter @Sam_Amick