We Speak NBA
NBA Suspends Rockets Guard Marcus Smart Three Games for Punching Warriors’ Charles Bassey
The NBA suspended Houston’s Marcus Smart three games without pay for throwing a punch that hit Golden State’s Charles Bassey in the face, the league announced Thursday.
Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart has been suspended three games without pay for throwing a punch that made contact with the face of Golden State Warriors forward-center Charles Bassey, the NBA announced Thursday. The suspension was handed down by James Jones, the league’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations.
The incident, for which Smart was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter of the Rockets’ 115-108 win over the Warriors on Wednesday night at Toyota Center. After the players became tangled up and exchanged words, Smart threw a right-handed punch toward Bassey. Officials reviewed the play and determined the punch made contact with Bassey’s nose, referee crew chief Mitchell Ervin said after the game.
Smart had scored six points with two rebounds and one assist in about 17 minutes before the ejection. Rockets coach Ime Udoka shared Smart’s account of the confrontation after the game.
“Marcus said they got wrapped up and his elbow, that he had hurt, got bent up,” Udoka said. “So he said something to Bassey and Bassey said, ‘What you gonna do?’ And he did it.”
Smart will begin serving the suspension on Friday, Nov. 13, when Houston hosts the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center in an NBA Cup game. He will also miss road games at the Washington Wizards on Sunday and at the Miami Heat on Monday, and he will forfeit roughly $125,500 in salary. He is eligible to return on Wednesday, Nov. 18, when Houston visits the Indiana Pacers.
Smart, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year who joined the Rockets in free agency, has been a veteran piece of Houston’s backcourt to start the season. His absence is expected to open additional minutes for young guard Reed Sheppard over the next three games.
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We Speak NBA
Powell Scores 23 as Bulls Snap Timberwolves’ Five-Game Win Streak 117-106
Norman Powell scored 23 points and Matas Buzelis added 18 as the Chicago Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-106 on Saturday night to end Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.
Norman Powell scored 23 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-106 on Saturday night, ending Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.
Matas Buzelis added 18 points and nine rebounds for Chicago, and Buddy Hield and Tre Jones each chipped in 16 points off the bench. The Bulls won for the second straight night despite a travel day scrambled by the nationwide FAA ground stop, which delayed their arrival in Minneapolis until the day of the game, and despite missing Caleb Wilson, Jalen Smith and Nic Claxton.
Chicago led 29-17 after the first quarter and 58-45 at halftime. Minnesota’s 17 points in the first quarter were its lowest-scoring quarter of the season, and the Timberwolves failed to reach 110 points for the first time this season.
Ayo Dosunmu scored a team-high 24 points against his former team for Minnesota, LaMelo Ball had 19 and Jaden McDaniels added 18. The Timberwolves missed their first 13 3-point attempts and finished 9 of 38 from long range, while Chicago scored 54 points in the paint.
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