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Tim MacMahon
Multiple Authors
OKLAHOMA CITY — Following a tumble by Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic to the Paycom Center floor early in the fourth quarter on Friday, he felt compelled to respond to what he perceived as a dirty play by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort.
The rivalry intensified in a game marked by tension, reminiscent of their seven-game series in last year’s Western Conference semifinals, culminating in Dort’s ejection along with double technicals issued to both Jokic and Thunder center Jaylin Williams.
The incident ignited when Dort seemingly tripped Jokic while he was sprinting up the court with 8:03 left in the fourth quarter. As Dort backed into Jokic and extended his right foot, he knocked the big man down, prompting Jokic to rise swiftly and confront him in anger.
“It’s an unnecessary move and a necessary reaction,” Jokic remarked after the Nuggets’ 127-121 overtime defeat against the defending champions. “Such actions shouldn’t occur on the basketball court; it was simply an unnecessary move and my reaction to it was warranted.”
After Jokic chest-bumped Dort, Williams swiftly intervened. Jokic and Williams exchanged shoves and grabbed each other’s jerseys amid a flurry of players, coaches, officials, and team personnel who rushed to separate the two.
“Just competing,” Williams said to ESPN. “It’s simply two teams battling it out, that’s all there is to it.”
Upon review, the foul on Dort was elevated to a flagrant foul 2, resulting in an automatic ejection. Crew chief James Williams informed a pool reporter that officials viewed Dort’s contact with Jokic as “unnecessary and excessive, with a high potential for injury.” He also noted that the resulting confrontation warranted the escalation to a flagrant foul 2.
“If [Williams] is sprinting up the court and gets tripped, we expect a flagrant 2 from here on,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “That’s all. If this sets a precedent that malicious plays warrant a flagrant 2, we expect it to apply consistently to everyone, including [Williams]. If that’s the case, we’re fine with it.”
When asked if he believed the flagrant 2 call was influenced by the fact that it was against a three-time MVP, Daigneault replied, “No, I’m not going there. I’ve said what I needed to say about it.”
The officials determined that the actions of Jokic and Jaylin Williams during the altercation did not warrant ejections, as stated by James Williams in the pool report.
The scuffle overshadowed the return of reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 36 points on 12-of-29 shooting and added nine assists in 34 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander sat out the overtime period, having reached his minutes limit after missing the previous nine games due to an abdominal strain sustained on Feb. 3.
In the first quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander received a technical foul for retaliating against Jokic’s post-whistle contact by throwing the ball at him. James Williams clarified that Jokic did not receive a technical for that incident because officials deemed his forearm contact did not constitute unsportsmanlike behavior.
“They’re a formidable team, we’re a formidable team, and we’ve played each other frequently over the last couple of years, which might elevate the intensity a bit because we’re familiar with each other,” Gilgeous-Alexander remarked. “It was enjoyable. That type of end-of-season basketball is chippy and physical, and it was good to experience that in the regular season.”
The Nuggets now sit at 4-7 since Jokic returned from a monthlong absence, including a dismal 1-6 in clutch scenarios (games within five points in the final five minutes) during this stretch. Jokic achieved his league-leading 22nd triple-double by recording 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists against the Thunder, but his shooting struggles persisted, as he made just 9-of-25 from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.
although shooting 3-of-5 from the free-throw line, Jokic vocally protested several no-calls throughout the game and had multiple instances of physical exchanges with Thunder players.
“His frustration sometimes stems from how officiating varies on the floor compared to near the basket. I believe he was reacting to the physicality he faced,” Nuggets coach David Adelman explained. “His competitive nature means he won’t shy away. I’m aware of his frustration; I can sense it, given all the contact he faced. He shot five free throws.
“That’s just part of the game. The closer you play to the basket, it appears that calls differ for bigger players. He must respond appropriately—concentrating while finishing through contact. Dort’s actions took that to another level for him, as he felt it was malicious.”
The Nuggets and Thunder will face off again on March 9 in Oklahoma City.
