Marcus Smart throws punch at Warriors player, ejected from Rockets game

Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart was ejected after he threw a punch and just barely grazed the face of Golden State Warriors forward Charles Bassey. The incident came with 21 seconds left to play in the third quarter of a game Wednesday, Nov. 11, during a stoppage. Just before the punch was thrown, Smart and Bassey got tangled up under the rim when trying to box out during a Warriors possession. The two continued to jaw at each other up the floor. Then, when play halted, Smart squared up and threw a right-handed hook that nearly landed on Bassey’s cheek. Bassey had moved his head backward to avoid contact. Officials later said that Smart made contact to Bassey’s nose. One official immediately grabbed Bassey and separated him, while players from both teams swarmed around Smart to deescalate. Several Warriors players on the floor also took exception to the punch and were shouting at Smart, who then walked off the floor and headed straight into the locker room, surely aware that he would be tossed for the gesture. Officials then reviewed the sequence and determined that Smart would draw a flagrant foul 2, which draws an automatic ejection. Smart scored 6 points on 2-of-2 shooting and added 2 rebounds and 1 assist prior to his removal. Bassey was not disciplined whatsoever for his role in the matter.