Whether it was a gratuitous slam-dunk with 6.9 seconds remaining in Oklahoma City’s 103-94 defeat of Atlanta last night or an earlier charge of biting, the Hawks’ Josh Smith took exception to the behavior of the Thunder’s Serge Ibaka (above). The Oklahmoan’s John Rhode and Darnell Mayberry point out the the 21 year old emigree from the Congo, “might not fully understand the unwritten code of the NBA”, but Smith would be happy to spell it out for him ;

œHe bit me, man, Smith said. œI thought I needed some (stitches) ¦ I was just in pain.

Asked if he was upset by Ibaka™s dunk, or the foul, or both, Smith said, œYou know what it was. That™s showing disrespect (dunking the ball). Everybody in the whole league knows you don™t do nothing like that. I talked to Durant about it. He said he would talk to him (Ibaka) about it, and he knew that wasn™t right.

œEverybody knows that™s not proper etiquette, you know what I mean? When you™re at a dinner table, you don™t dig in first when you visit somebody™s home. You relax and see what™s going on. You check everything out before you ever get you a plate. It™s just proper etiquette. You don™t do that.

œWe won™t forget that (dunk). We won™t forget something like that.