Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart was ejected during Wednesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors after throwing a punch at center Charles Bassey. The physical altercation erupted following a hard foul, resulting in a flagrant 2 foul and an automatic dismissal for Smart.
Altercation and Ejection
The scuffle broke out after Smart tangled with Bassey during the contest. Although the two players were separated quickly, the intervention came too late to prevent Smart from swinging at his opponent. The ejection marks the 13th time Smart has been ejected in his NBA career.
Following the matchup, Bassey shared his perspective on the incident with ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, detailing previous grievances from the game. Bassey accused Smart of playing dirty by grabbing his knee during a screen in the first half and later holding his hand while transitioning back on defense.
“I think I was trying to get a rebound. He was grabbing my hand, and I was trying to run back on defense. Then he got up on me and just swung. Obviously, that was weak. I just think that was, honestly, fake toughness,” Bassey stated, as reported by ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “It didn’t surprise me. I knew he was going to do something. I don’t think he was trying to play. I think he was trying to get himself out of the game. I think he was trying to chill. He wasn’t trying to hoop. That was fake toughness.”
Postgame Remarks and Standings
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka addressed the media after the final buzzer, sharing the exchange he had with Smart regarding the incident, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“So he said something to him, and Bassey said, ‘What you gonna do?’ and he did it,” Udoka said.
The game concluded with a 115-108 victory for the Houston Rockets, elevating their record to 9-3 and placing them third in the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, the defeat dropped the Golden State Warriors to 8-4, putting them in sixth place in the conference.
