In Game 4 of the Nuggets-Suns second-round series, a wild scene unfolded in the second quarter, involving Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Suns owner Mat Ishbia. Suns guard Josh Okogie tumbled into the stands while chasing a loose ball out of bounds. The ball ended up in the hands of Ishbia, who was sitting courtside.
Jokic decided to retrieve the ball himself and forcefully yanked it out of Ishbia’s hands. After Jokic jarred the ball loose, he gave Ishbia a shove to the chest, sending the Suns owner tumbling back into his seat. Ishbia, a former basketball player at Michigan State and perhaps cognizant of potential trouble facing Jokic, didn’t appear to put up much resistance.
Another fan, meanwhile, grabbed a chunk of Jokic’s jersey while a third put his hand on Jokic’s left arm. The fan who grabbed Jokic’s jersey was Detroit Pistons Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas, who appeared to have joined Ishbia as his guest.
Officials went to replay to assess the scene and how to sort it out. The verdict was to issue an unsportsmanlike technical foul to Jokic. Security escorted the fan in the black shirt who touched Jokic away from the court. There were no penalties for Ishbia or Thomas.
The incident didn’t appear to fluster Jokic, who went on to finish with a game-high 53 points in a 129-124 victory by the Suns. However, his shove on Ishbia earned him an unsportsmanlike technical foul, which could prove costly for the Nuggets in the series.
Nikola Jokic on his interaction with Suns owner Mat Ishbia. pic.twitter.com/9z1vhsgBsC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 8, 2023
It’s not uncommon for players to retrieve loose balls from the stands during games. However, Jokic’s forceful yanking of the ball out of Ishbia’s hands and subsequent shove was clearly a violation of league rules and warranted a technical foul. The incident could have also potentially escalated into something much more serious had security not intervened quickly.
Jokic has been an instrumental part of the Nuggets’ success in recent years, earning himself the NBA MVP award in the 2020-2021 season. However, incidents like this one can tarnish a player’s reputation and hurt their team’s chances of winning a series. It remains to be seen if Jokic will face any further disciplinary action from the league, but for now, his unsportsmanlike technical foul stands as a reminder of the importance of staying calm and composed on the court.
Nikola Jokic on the incident with the Suns owner:
"He told me I was elbowing the fan, but the fan put his hands on me first. I thought the league is supposed to protect us. But maybe I'm wrong.”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2023
The Nikola Jokic Show: An Epic Performance Falls Short as Nuggets Lose to Suns in Game 4
Nikola Jokic was simply unstoppable in Game 4, putting up a career-high 53 points in a valiant effort to keep the Denver Nuggets’ championship hopes alive. Despite also tallying 11 assists and 4 rebounds while shooting an efficient 66.7%, Jokic’s heroics weren’t enough as the Nuggets fell to the Phoenix Suns 129-124.
The All-Star center single-handedly gave the Nuggets a fighting chance in the game, keeping them in the hunt with a barrage of incredible shots and precision passes. However, Jokic received little support from his teammates, as Jamal Murray’s 25-point outing was the only other significant contribution to Denver’s cause.
The Suns made the strategic decision to let Jokic play iso basketball against Deandre Ayton and Jock Landale, giving him all the room to operate, while guarding the others with more intensity.
The gamble paid off for the Suns, as they successfully limited the Nuggets’ shot attempts as a team. Although Denver shot an impressive 56.2% from the field, their role players struggled to create opportunities and failed to capitalize on the limited chances they had.
As a result, the lack of production from the supporting cast prevented the Nuggets from taking a commanding 3-1 series lead back to Denver. Despite the loss, Jokic’s epic performance will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable individual efforts in NBA playoff history.
