A right hook from Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart missed its mark completely after Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey ducked just in time during a tense moment in Wednesday’s game in Houston. The incident ended with Smart being pulled away by teammates and heading straight to the locker room before referees could eject him.
The scuffle near midcourt came late in a game that saw Houston claim a 115-108 win over Golden State. Bassey did not hold back in his assessment afterward, calling Smart’s attempted punch “fake toughness.” The Warriors reserve added that Smart had been “playing dirty the whole game,” accusing the guard of grabbing his knee and hand earlier in the contest.
“I knew he was gonna do something,” Bassey said. “I baited for him to do something, because I knew he was going to do something. I don’t think he was trying to play. I think he was trying to get himself out of the game. He wasn’t trying to play … I think he was trying to chill. He wasn’t trying to hoop, bro.”
Houston coach Ime Udoka described the moment as a reaction to Smart’s elbow being bent awkwardly during a tussle. “He said they got wrapped up,” Udoka said. “And his elbow, that he had hurt, got bent up. And so he said something to him. And Bassey said, ‘What are you going to do?’ And he did it.” The punch, however, landed on air.
The incident came in a game already charged with tension after Warriors star Stephen Curry suffered an injury in the first quarter. It added to a growing list of on-court skirmishes involving Golden State this season.
Draymond Green, known for his fiery presence, has been less involved in early-season clashes than usual. He addressed the situation after the game, praising his teammates’ readiness to stand together when conflicts arise.
“Yeah, that’s how this gon’ be,” Green said. “You up against one, you up against all. That’s the way we rocking. So, love the way that all the guys got in the mix. We always talk about that. Something going on with your team, get in the mix. And guys got in the mix. That’s important.”
Green has shared the locker room with some outspoken figures this season. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has already stirred controversy by calling the Warriors the “remodeled Bad Boy Pistons” and predicting numerous ejections ahead. Veteran Georges Niang has also been involved in frequent confrontations.
Niang admitted he was shocked by Smart’s punch but noted the intensity of the moment. “Sometimes those emotions get the best of you,” Niang said. “I don’t think Marcus Smart is a horrible person to say the least. I actually have a pretty close relationship with him. It’s just unfortunate that it had gotten to that.”
The Warriors have picked up technical fouls and engaged in multiple heated incidents this season. Green mentioned a previous takedown on Suns big Khaman Maluach as an example of a calculated move rather than reckless aggression.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has spoken about the team still searching for its identity, but the players seem to have embraced a collective spirit that will not back down from conflict.
“I try to use my stuff wisely,” Green said. “But I like it. I like the attitude. I think – I’m cool with that attitude. I’d rather it be that way than the opposite.”
Bassey’s sharp criticism of Smart’s attempt to throw a punch adds to the narrative of a Warriors team unafraid to protect its own. The incident remains the latest flashpoint in a season already peppered with confrontations and technicals for Golden State.
According to Yahoo Sports.