The NBA has sent another strong message to players about respecting officials. This time, the spotlight is on Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart.
What started as a heated moment during a tense win vs. the Utah Jazz has now turned into a costly mistake. The league stepped in quickly, handing down a fine that grabbed attention across the basketball world.
NBA Fines Marcus Smart for Gesture Toward Referee
The NBA announced a $35,000 fine for Lakers guard Smart for making an obscene gesture toward a game official. The decision was announced by James Jones, the league’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations.
The incident took place at halftime of the Lakers’ 143-135 win over the Jazz on Dec. 18 at Delta Center. As the second quarter ended, Los Angeles trailed 78-73. While heading to the locker room, Smart had a heated exchange with one of the referees. Moments later, he flipped the official the middle finger.
Officials quickly responded. Smart was hit with a technical foul, which was his third of the season. As a result, the Jazz opened the second half by taking the technical free throw before regular play resumed.
This was not the first time Smart faced discipline for similar behavior. During the 2017 NBA playoffs, he was fined $25,000 for flipping off a fan. The league clearly took this latest incident seriously, especially given the focus on maintaining respect toward officials.
Smart Responds on Court as NBA Cracks Down on Conduct
Despite the technical foul and the fine that followed, Smart made his impact felt when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter, he scored nine of his 17 total points. He went 3-of-4 from three-point range during that stretch and helped the Lakers close out the win.
Through 17 games this season, Smart is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 rebounds on 43.1% FG.
The Lakers will need him again on Saturday, Dec. 20, against the Clippers since their three regular starters will be sidelined. Guard Austin Reaves, Center Deandre Ayton, and Forward Rui Hachimura won’t be on the court vs. the Clippers.
That said, Smart’s fine also fits into a bigger trend across the league. The NBA has recently taken firm action against aggressive behavior toward referees.
Earlier this week, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fined $25,000 after criticizing officiating following an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 15, 2025. Udoka called it the worst-officiated game he had ever seen.
That tension continued in a recent Nuggets vs. Rockets matchup on Dec. 20. With Denver trailing 89-72, Nikola Jokic drove to the basket and did not get a foul call. Nuggets coach David Adelman charged toward the officials in anger. After continued arguing, he received a second technical foul and was ejected.
