Guard Marcus Smart has been a key role player for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. His defense, secondary ball-handling, assists and overall resourcefulness have helped them get off to a 19-7 start and keep pace with nearly all of the NBA’s elite teams.
Despite his consistency and experience, he can’t help but show signs of frustration. At the end of the first half of Thursday’s game against the Utah Jazz, he made an obscene gesture toward one of the game’s referees. As a result, he was awarded a technical foul.
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Smart was also fined for the move, according to ESPN.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture toward a game official during halftime of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 143-135 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday, the league announced Saturday.
The Lakers fell behind by 10 points at the beginning of the second quarter, but they fought back. They took the lead early in the fourth quarter and built a 12-point lead and withstood a Utah rally in the final minutes to win 143-135.
Smart was the key to the victory, scoring 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 5-of-9 three-pointers. He hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles began to build a cushion.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been fined by NBA