The Houston Rockets lost Marcus Smart to an ejection Wednesday night after an incident involving Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey. With 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter and Houston leading, Smart appeared to throw a punch at Bassey. The play drew a reaction from ESPN analyst Doris Burke.
“You didn’t even need to tell him, he knew he was gone,” Burke said during the broadcast. “That’s absolutely a punch.”
Officials reviewed the incident with the NBA Replay Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, and assessed Smart a flagrant foul 2. That ruling carries an automatic ejection, ending his night before the fourth quarter. Houston was left to finish the game without the guard.
Marcus Smart Ejected After Replay Review
The distinction between a flagrant foul 1 and a flagrant foul 2 is big time. Under NBA rules, a flagrant 1 involves unnecessary contact, while a flagrant 2 involves contact deemed unnecessary and excessive. The officials’ decision placed Smart’s action in the much more serious category.
Both classifications carry two free throws and possession for the offended team. A flagrant 2 also removes the player responsible from the game. Smart did not need to accumulate another technical or flagrant foul for his appearance to end.
MARCUS SMART PUNCHES CHARLES BASSEY
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— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 12, 2026
Burke’s assessment was emphatic, but her description and the officials’ ruling remain separate parts of the account. She called the action a punch on the broadcast. Officials determined through review that the contact warranted a flagrant 2 and ejection.
The ruling also does not establish what Smart was thinking during the exchange. Without an explanation from him, assigning a motive would go beyond what the incident and announcement show. The immediate consequence, however, was clear: He could no longer help Houston protect its advantage.
Rockets Lose Veteran Guard Before Fourth Quarter
For Houston, the timing created an avoidable complication late in the third quarter. The Rockets were ahead and approaching the final period with Smart still available before the incident. His ejection removed one option from the rotation with the game still unfinished.
It also shifted attention toward an exchange that had little to do with the basketball Houston needed to play down the stretch. Regardless of how the remaining minutes unfolded, Smart’s night ended with a disciplinary ruling. His teammates had to continue without him.
Any additional league discipline would require a separate determination. A flagrant 2 establishes the in-game penalty rather than automatically confirming a suspension. Whether further punishment follows is a separate question. It does seem like Adam Silver will certainly have plans to punish Smart for his actions.
Rockets’ Marcus Smart Ejected After Throwing Punch at Warriors Player