Ridiculous sanction for Marcus Smart after throwing a punch

The NBA announced on Thursday a three-game suspension without pay for Marcus Smart for his aggression toward Charles Bassey during the game between Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors. The Houston guard threw a punch at the Golden State center in the third quarter of the game played on Wednesday, which ended with a victory for the Rockets by 115-108.

The action did not go unnoticed by the referees, who called a flagrant foul of type 2 and ejected Smart immediately. Now, the NBA has decided to penalize his behavior with a suspension that will prevent him from participating in the next three games for Houston.

The player will miss the home game this Friday against the Utah Jazz, the visit on Sunday to the Washington Wizards, and the game on Monday at the Miami Heat's court.

This was Marcus Smart's punch at Charles Bassey

The incident occurred with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. Amen Thompson had just completed a transition with a basket near the rim that extended Houston's lead when Smart and Bassey began to face off.

Both players stood face to face exchanging words while Yaxel Lendeborg, a Warriors player, tried to separate them. At that moment, Smart threw a punch with his right hand that almost grazed Bassey's nose, who managed to move slightly to avoid the impact.

The action took place in front of referee Mitchell Ervin and prompted a swift intervention from other players to prevent the confrontation from escalating. Amen Thompson, Gui Santos, and Brandin Podziemski participated in separating the two protagonists, alongside referee Brandon Adair.

After the game, Houston coach Ime Udoka explained that he spoke with Smart about what happened. According to his account, the player told him that they had gotten tangled during the altercation and that his elbow, which had previously been injured, had bent.

“So he said something to him, and Bassey responded, 'What are you going to do?' And he did it,” Udoka explained about the conversation between the two players.

Bassey accuses Smart of playing dirty throughout the game

The Golden State center also shared his version of events and was particularly harsh about his rival's behavior. Bassey claimed that Smart had been playing dirty throughout the game and described the punch as a display of "fake toughness."

“I remember in the first half I was trying to set a screen, and he grabbed my knee. He was playing dirty. I think he was trying to grab a rebound and grabbed my hand when I was trying to get back on defense. Then he came at me and just threw the punch,” he explained.

Bassey also made it clear that he was not surprised by the Houston player's reaction, considering that he had been looking for that type of confrontation all game.

“Obviously, it was something weak. Honestly, I think it was fake toughness. I wasn't surprised. I knew he was going to do something. I don't think he was trying to play basketball. I think he was trying to get himself ejected from the game. He didn't want to play; he wanted a break. That was fake toughness,” he added.

A setback for a Rockets team that is among the best in the West

The suspension comes at a good collective time for Houston. The Rockets hold a record of 9-3 and sit in third place in the Western Conference, so they will have to face three games without one of their key additions from last summer.

Smart, a veteran of 12 seasons in the NBA, joined Houston as a free agent and is averaging 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in nine games, one of them as a starter.

Although his offensive numbers are not particularly high, his experience and defensive ability represent important resources for Ime Udoka's rotation. Now, the Rockets will have to do without his services for three games due to an action that has ended up having sporting and economic consequences for the guard.