The NBA has suspended Rockets guard Marcus Smart for three games without pay “for throwing a punch that made contact with the face” of Warriors big man Charles Basseythe league announced (via Twitter).
The incident occurred with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter of Wednesday’s game between the two teams in Houston (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). Smart and Bassey were jawing back and forth and then Smart threw a right jab that evidently grazed Bassey’s nose. Bassey was not injured and appeared unfazed by the altercation.
The two players were quickly separated and Smart walked off the court on his own before the play was even reviewed in anticipation of being ejected, notes Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). Smart’s instincts were correct in that regard, as he was assessed a flagrant two foul and ejected.
According to Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle Smart and Bassey were tangled up in the post on the other end of the court on the possession before the incident occurred. Head coach Making Udoka said after the game that Smart was unhappy that Bassey had wrapped up Smart’s elbow, which he injured earlier in the season, and confronted Bassey about it as they trailed the action.
Smart’s three-game suspension will cost him $125,462 of his $6,064,000 salary for this season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The Rockets, meanwhile, will receive a tax variance credit worth $62,731. While that doesn’t seem like much, it will give them a touch more financial flexibility — they were just $14,077 below the luxury tax line before Smart was suspended, Marks adds.
Smart, a former Defensive Player of the Year winner, will start his suspension on Friday vs. Utah and will also be out for Sunday’s game in Washington and Monday’s contest at Miami.