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Dave McMenamin
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for making an indecent gesture toward a game official during halftime of L.A.’s 143-135 victory against the Utah Jazz on Thursday, the league confirmed on Saturday.
As the Lakers were down 78-73 at the end of the second quarter, Smart engaged in a verbal exchange with one of the referees while exiting the court, subsequently showing him the middle finger.
This is not the first time Smart has faced disciplinary action; he was fined $25,000 for a similar gesture directed at a fan during the 2017 NBA playoffs.
As a result of his actions against Utah, Smart received a technical foul, marking his third of the season, and the Jazz began the second half with the technical free throw prior to resuming play.
In the fourth quarter, Smart made up for it by scoring nine of his 17 points, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, which contributed to the Lakers’ win.
The 12-year veteran is currently averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across 17 games with the Lakers this season, of which he has started 11.
The Lakers will rely on him in the starting lineup once more on Saturday against the LA Clippers, as three regular starters are sidelined due to injuries.
Guard Austin Reaves will sit out his third consecutive game due to a left calf strain, center Deandre Ayton will miss his second straight game owing to a sore left elbow, and forward Rui Hachimura has been downgraded from questionable to out on Saturday morning due to discomfort in his right groin.
