Marcus Smart's ejection for throwing a punch could lead to further sanction from NBA office

Houston Rockets player Marcus Smart was ejected from a game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night for throwing a punch at Charles Bassey. The incident occurred with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and the foul was ruled a Flagrant 2 for contact to the nose. Flagrant 2 fouls result in automatic ejection, which is then subject to review by the NBA league office.

The Rockets' next game is scheduled for Friday, and it is likely that the league will impose further penalties if deemed necessary. Bassey expressed his belief that Smart had been "playing dirty" throughout the game, stating that he felt Smart was intentionally trying to get himself removed from the contest. Smart's coach, Ime Udoka, confirmed that he spoke with his player after the game, and both parties had differing perspectives on the altercation.

Smart claimed that the two got tangled up, while Bassey felt that Smart was being challenged. Smart's history of disciplinary issues includes suspensions for past incidents, such as hitting Matt Bonner in 2015 and making threatening gestures toward officials in 2021. He has received fines for various on-court misconduct, including a $50,000 fine in 2019 for shoving Joel Embiid.

Despite his disciplinary record, Smart has also been recognized for his defensive skills and community involvement, having won the NBA's Hustle and Defensive Player of the Year awards and receiving the NBA Cares program's recognition for his work with pediatric cancer patients and inner-city youth.