WATCH: Jalen Smith furiously shoves Dennis Schroder into crowd amid heated altercation

In the Indiana Pacers vs Brooklyn Nets game on Monday, tensions rose between Dennis Schroder and Jalen Smith. During the third quarter, Smith became frustrated when his in-game goggles were disrupted during a play. This led to the big man pushing the Nets guard and an ensuing altercation.

The teams are facing each other for the second and final matchup of the season before the playoffs. In their previous game, the Pacers were defeated by the Nets. This evening, their goal is to secure a victory against Brooklyn and prevent a clean sweep in the season series. However, by halftime, Indy had already established a considerable advantage.

During a particular play, Schroder made a drive towards the basket in an attempt to score a layup. However, Smith was determined to prevent an effortless basket and attempted to challenge the shot. He jumped straight up with his arms raised, resulting in contact with the experienced guard. In response, the point guard exaggerated the contact by flailing his arms, accidentally hitting the big man in the face.

Smith was uncomfortable with the contact near his eyes. Once they both descended, the center forcefully pushed the German guard into the crowd. Schroder defended himself, but their teammates and coaches intervened to restrain both players.

Observe the sequence below to witness the confrontation between the two players.

As a consequence of his actions, Smith was given a flagrant 2 foul for pushing Schroder, leading to his ejection from the game upon the officials’ final ruling. Despite this, the big man managed to score 17 points and grab three rebounds.

Dennis Schroder’s Performance Against the Pacers in the Current Season

Dennis Schroder has faced off against the Indiana Pacers twice this season. Due to initially being on the Toronto Raptors, the guard had the opportunity to compete against them twice. In his initial game as a member of the Pacers, he was still with the Raptors and had a respectable performance.

The Raptors faced the Pacers with the 2023 FIBA World Cup MVP scoring 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Schroder also performed well, shooting 2-5 from beyond the arc and 10-16 from the field during the game.

In his subsequent matchup against the Indy team, the experienced guard had a less impressive performance compared to his previous outing. He scored 13 points, grabbed two rebounds, and dished out five assists. Unfortunately, the Nets were unable to secure a win in that game.

Throughout his career, he has faced the Pacers on 27 occasions and has maintained an average of 10 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game.