Jazz guard Kris Dunn has been suspended two games without pay for initiating an altercation and throwing a punch at Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., the NBA announced today in a press release (via Twitter). Smith has been suspended one game for the fight.
The incident, for which both Dunn and Smith Jr. were assessed technical fouls and ejected, occurred with 11:55 remaining in the second quarter of the Rockets’ 147-119 win over the Jazz on Saturday.
Dunn will begin to serve his suspension on Monday, when the Jazz host the Mavericks. Smith will also serve his suspension Monday when the Rockets host the Trail Blazers.
“I think Dunn hit him with a shot, and then, they got wrapped up and threw a few punches,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said of Saturday’s skirmish. “Basically, nothing landed, but as soon as you throw a punch, you’re going to be ejected.”
The suspension will cost Dunn a total of $35,678, while Smith loses $53,601, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Despite only being suspended for a single game and losing a smaller percentage of his salary per game, Smith is earning over $9.3MM this season, dwarfing Dunn’s $2.6MM salary, which is why the penalty costs him more.
Collin Sexton left the bench, shouldn’t he get suspended 1 game as well?
Depends on how far he got and if he was seen? Plus, did he get involved in the incident? Sometimes the NBA looks the other way when it has no impact on the incident.
My response to that is that Jabari’s punch didn’t land, so it didn’t have an impact on the incident. Why did he get suspended?
Also, if the NBA folks reviewing this did not see him, then there’s bigger problems. The guy was literally in the paint, which is where the whole thing occurred. That’s far enough for me. I’m sure your points are what saved him, but why have rules if you don’t implement them. JS.
Dunn didn’t initiate it but he certainly didn’t back down which is why they give him two games. Jazz front office is celebrating because they aren’t trying to win and the rockets are on a massive win streak. They have a chance to get in if they continue shooting lights outs.
NBA still got this wrong nba is rigged!