The NBA has suspended Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart for three games after he punched Golden State center Charles Bassey on Wednesday night.
Final: Houston Rockets 115, Golden State Warriors 108.
I was surprised by the severity of the punishment - a significant amount of time to miss, especially when your team is on a hot streak. The Rockets are third in the West and just 1.5 games back from the No. 1-seeded Lakers, with a strong roster that includes Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Fred VanVleet (according to SOURCE 6). Marcus Smart has provided steady contributions off the bench this season, averaging 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 43.9% shooting from the field in nine games (SOURCE 5).
Marcus Smart Suspended 3 Games for Punch Thrown vs. Warriors
The incident occurred on Wednesday night against the Warriors, with Smart punching Charles Bassey in the face (SOURCE 3). The NBA has confirmed that Smart will miss three games as a result of his actions (SOURCE 1 and SOURCE 2).
By the Numbers: Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | 20 | 31 | 28 | 29 | 108 |
| Houston Rockets | 35 | 21 | 29 | 30 | 115 |
Points by quarter
| Player | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Golden State Warriors | 5 | 13 | 7 | – | 25 |
| Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | 11 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 20 |
| Brandin Podziemski | Golden State Warriors | 6 | – | 7 | 6 | 19 |
| Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | 9 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 |
| Amen Thompson | Houston Rockets | 2 | – | 15 | 2 | 19 |
| Fred VanVleet | Houston Rockets | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | Houston Rockets | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 14 |
| Reed Sheppard | Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | – | 9 | 13 |
Top 5 by points
| # | Player | Team | Points | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yaxel Lendeborg | Golden State Warriors | 25 | 25 pts · 10 reb · 0 ast · FG 9-19 · 36 min |
| 2 | Brandin Podziemski | Golden State Warriors | 22 | 22 pts · 6 reb · 4 ast · FG 7-15 · 37 min |
| 3 | Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | 20 | 20 pts · 4 reb · 5 ast · FG 8-17 · 34 min |
| 4 | Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | 19 | 19 pts · 13 reb · 9 ast · FG 8-14 · 37 min |
| 5 | Amen Thompson | Houston Rockets | 19 | 19 pts · 7 reb · 4 ast · FG 8-11 · 29 min |
Best on the night
- Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets): 19 pts · 13 reb · 9 ast · FG 8-14 · 37 min
- Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State Warriors): 25 pts · 10 reb · 0 ast · FG 9-19 · 36 min
- Brandin Podziemski (Golden State Warriors): 22 pts · 6 reb · 4 ast · FG 7-15 · 37 min
Rough night
- Al Horford (Golden State Warriors): 2 pts on FG 1-7, 0 turnovers, 3 fouls in 21 min
- Marcus Smart (Houston Rockets): 6 pts on FG 2-2, 1 turnovers, 4 fouls in 17 min
- Tari Eason (Houston Rockets): 6 pts on FG 2-11, 1 turnovers, 0 fouls in 22 min
Fouls
Team fouls: Golden State Warriors 20 · Houston Rockets 23.
Injuries and absences
- Gary Payton II (Golden State Warriors) — Out: Payton (knee) is out for Wednesday's game against Houston.
- Brandon Williams (Golden State Warriors) — Out: Williams (hamstring) will miss at least one week, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.com.
- Kristaps Porzingis (Golden State Warriors) — Out: Porzingis announced on his social media that he's stepping away from basketball.
- Moses Moody (Golden State Warriors) — Out: Moody (knee) is progressing toward a potential return between December and January after rupturing his left patellar tendon in March, Anthony Slater of ESPN rep
- Jimmy Butler III (Golden State Warriors) — Out: Butler (knee) could return sometime between January and February as he continues recovering from a torn right ACL, Anthony Slater of ESPN reports.
- Clint Capela (Houston Rockets) — Out: Head coach Ime Udoka stated Monday that Capela (ankle) could be cleared to return either Nov. 15 in Washington or Nov. 16 in Miami, Lachard Binkley of SI.com re
- Steven Adams (Houston Rockets) — Out: Head coach Ime Udoka said Monday that Adams could return as soon as Sunday's game at Washington, Lachard Binkley of SI.com reports.
The Impact
Smart will miss three games, including tomorrow's matchup against the Utah Jazz, but he'll be back by next Wednesday against the Pacers (SOURCE 6). The Rockets will surely miss his impact against the Wizards and Heat in the meantime (SOURCE 7).
Source: Google News
