NBA Hands Out a Hefty Punishment to Rockets’ Starter
Marcus Smart received a three-game suspension after punching Charles Bassey, leaving the Rockets with a rotation challenge.
The Houston Rockets have been penalized heavily following a confrontation between their starter, Marcus Smart, and Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey. Smart will serve a three-game suspension and face a fine exceeding $125,000 after throwing a punch that struck Bassey's face during Wednesday's game. The altercation took place with 21 seconds left in the third quarter, after Bassey had attempted to separate the two players who had been engaged in an exchange of words.
Smart was suspended without pay and will miss the Rockets' upcoming matches against Utah, Washington, and Miami. This ruling leaves Houston without a key veteran guard who had bolstered their extra defensive coverage. The incident occurred just before the end of the fourth quarter, during which the Rockets had already won 115-108.
The suspension also extends the ramifications of an earlier incident, which had already ended Smart's night before the fourth quarter. The altercation has overshadowed Smart's performance in the game, with postgame discussions focusing heavily on his behavior. Bassey expressed no surprise at Smart's actions, while Rockets coach Ime Udoka claimed that Smart had told him Bassey had grabbed his injured elbow.
Smart is set to return to action on Wednesday against Indiana, but his absence will be notably felt during the Washington-Miami back-to-back games, where the Rockets have been relying on VanVleet due to his ACL injury.
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