Two Lakers guards were fined by the NBA because of their criticism and interactions with the referees after Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Rockets.
The league announced on Monday that Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 for “questioning the integrity of game officials”, while Luke Kennard was fined $25,000 for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials”.
Smart said after Sunday’s loss in the best-of-seven first round series, which the Lakers are leading 3-1, that Deandre Ayton’s ejection midway through the third quarter was “BS” after Ayton was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for elbowing Alperen Sengun in the head.
“That’s what we felt,” Smart added. “He was just trying to brace himself. Two guys who are sweating their butts off playing the game, arm slips up, right? But we’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression.”
Kennard was in the midst of a postgame verbal back-and-forth between the Lakers and Rockets.
“Hilarious, very hilarious,” Smart said of the postgame scene.
After the final buzzer sounded the Lakers had words with several Rockets players and the officials. Including Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt. JJ, Luka, and Austin Reaves also went to talk to the head official James Williams pic.twitter.com/xyLBEWF3mB
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) April 27, 2026
Game 5 of the Lakers-Rockets series is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.