Marcus Smart ejected after throwing a punch at Charles Bassey in Rockets-Warriors game

Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart was ejected after throwing a punch at Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey during Wednesday night’s game at Toyota Center. Officials reviewed the incident and assessed Smart a flagrant foul 2 with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

The third-quarter incident

Smart and Bassey became tangled while boxing out under the basket. They continued exchanging words up the floor before Smart threw a right-handed punch during a stoppage. Officials determined that the punch made contact with Bassey’s nose. Bassey was not penalized for the incident, USA TODAY reported.

The flagrant foul 2 ended Smart’s night. A later league disciplinary decision would be separate from that in-game ruling.

Two different accounts afterward

Rockets coach Ime Udoka said afterward that Smart told him his injured elbow had been bent during the rebounding tangle. Udoka said Smart then confronted Bassey, who responded, “What you going to do?”

Bassey gave a different account of the confrontation afterward, calling it “fake toughness,” according to USA TODAY. Those comments describe the players’ competing accounts, not a finding by the league.