Outside of Jalen Green’s continued run as the hottest player in the NBA — 41 points and hitting 7-of-11 from 3 — there wasn’t much drama in the Rockets’ 147-119 win over the Jazz Saturday night.
But five seconds into the second quarter there was a fight — with a punch thrown and missed — between the Jazz’s Kris Dunn and the Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr.
Kris Dunn vs. Jabari Smith Jr. 😳
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 24, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ZrwIh3CCNn
Both players were ejected.
Dunn clearly throws a punch, which missed (or he pulled), but league rules mandate a suspension for any attempt to land a punch. Dunn could well miss a game.
“For me, I take responsibility for my actions and whatever the league decides for me, I have to respect that,” Dunn said postgame, speaking to the Associated Press.
There’s some history between the pair. They got into a shoving match and had to be separated on Jan. 20. While the rest of the league forgot about that, apparently Dunn and Smith did not.
With the win in this game, the Rockets remain two games back of the Golden State Warriors for the final play-in spot in the West.
