Center Charles Bassey: Marcus Smart's Ejection Was 'Fake Toughness'

The Golden State Warriors dropped a road game to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, losing 115-108. The contest featured a physical altercation that resulted in the ejection of Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

Smart was removed from the game after striking Warriors center Charles Bassey. The incident began late in the third quarter when the two players collided while chasing an offensive rebound. According to Bassey, Smart grabbed his hand and refused to let go as they moved toward the opposite end of the court.

Smart turned to push his chest into Bassey before stepping back to throw a punch. Bassey kept his arms at his sides throughout the exchange. The referees ejected Smart from the contest.

Bassey did not wait long to voice his opinion on the play. He described Smart's actions as weak and questioned the guard's intent to compete. "I just think that, honestly, that was fake toughness," Bassey said. "It didn't surprise me. I knew he was going to do something."

The center argued that Smart wanted to leave the game rather than play. "If he was trying to play, he wouldn't do that," Bassey said. "I think he was trying to chill. He wasn't trying to hoop, bro. That was fake - fake toughness."

Bassey also cited earlier contact, noting that Smart grabbed his knee while setting a screen. He said Smart was playing dirty all night and accused the veteran of trying to lower the intensity of the game.