The NBA suspended Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart for three games without pay after he threw a punch that connected with Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey’s face during a game on Nov. 11, 2026. The league announced the Marcus Smart three-game suspension on Thursday, with Smart set to sit out starting Friday when the Rockets host the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center.
The Main Development
James Jones, the NBA‘s Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations, confirmed the discipline in a league statement posted to NBA.com. The punch came with 21 seconds left in the third quarter of a game the Rockets went on to win 115-108 over the Warriors at Toyota Center.
Officials assessed Smart a Flagrant Foul 2 on the play and ejected him from the contest immediately. The league’s subsequent review resulted in the three-game ban, which the NBA.com report characterized as the final discipline for the incident.
What It Means
A three-game suspension without pay carries a direct financial cost for Smart on top of removing him from Houston’s rotation for the length of the ban. The punishment reflects the league’s standard treatment of punches that land during live play, which typically draw suspensions rather than fines alone.
The timing lines up with Houston’s next stretch of games, starting with Friday’s matchup against Utah. The Rockets have not released any statement on the incident or on how they plan to adjust their rotation while Smart serves the suspension.
Context
The altercation unfolded late in the third quarter of a back-and-forth Rockets-Warriors game that Houston ultimately closed out by seven points. Smart’s ejection came in the final 21 seconds of that period, cutting short his night before the outcome was decided.
No information has been released on what triggered the exchange between Smart and Bassey, and neither player has commented publicly on the incident.
What’s Next
Smart’s suspension begins Friday, Nov. 13, when the Rockets host the Jazz at Toyota Center. Houston continues conference play without him for the duration of the ban, with the Rockets’ recent run of games, including their matchup against the Hawks, part of the broader schedule the team is navigating this season. Readers can follow Hawks vs Rockets Rematch In Houston for more on Houston’s recent slate.
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