BOSTON -- The NBA assessed a flagrant-1 foul to Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas but he will not be suspended for Game 4 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.
With 1:27 left in the first quarter of Boston's chippy 111-103 Game 3 victory on Friday night, Thomas and Dennis Schroder were hit with double technical fouls after jawing at each other. As the two were heading downcourt before the verbal exchange, Thomas could be seen throwing his left hand at Schroder's face.
Schroder said he couldn't believe Thomas was not called for anything right after that. After the game, Schroder told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he spoke to a referee at halftime who "apologized. ... He said he didn't see it."
"I'm not going to let nobody slap me in my face," the backup Hawks point guard told the newspaper. "I told him that. If you want to play like that, we'll play like that. I was mad."
Thomas, who scored 42 points to help the Celtics cut the Hawks' lead in the series to 2-1, said after the game that he wasn't worried about a potential suspension or fine.
"I'm not," Thomas said. "Because I didn't mean to hit his head. He got mad. He was talking. It's playoff basketball. That's what it's about. I'm not going to back down from anybody, and he knows that."
Thomas hit 12 of 24 shots, including 5 of 12 from beyond the 3-point line, and made 13 of 15 free throws. Schroder, who came in as a game-time decision with a sore ankle, scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $5,000 for a flopping violation in the second half of Game 3.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Boston.
ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
Celtics' Thomas won't be suspended after hit
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