VIDEO: Howard picks up flagrant-1 for backhand to Bogut's face
Dwight Howard of the Houston Rockets was playing with fire in the third quarter of Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Howard, tangled up with Andrew Bogut, reached back and hit the Australian big man with a backhand.
The play was reviewed by officials and ruled a flagrant-1 foul.
A flagrant-2, which would have meant an immediate ejection, obviously would have been disastrous for Houston.
While observers can endlessly debate the severity of the swat as compared to the play that led to Al Horford's flagrant-2 ejection on Sunday, former NBA chief disciplinarian Stu Jackson opined Monday night that the foul could be upgraded.
.@DwightHoward FFP1 will likely be upgraded. Reckless flail making contact to the head. Contact much more severe than @Al_Horford flagrant
— Stu Jackson (@StuJackson32) May 26, 2015
If that is the case, Howard will face the possibility of further discipline from the league office, including a potential suspension for the Rockets' next elimination playoff game.