Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was assessed a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct in the aftermath of an altercation with Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia. The incident occurred during Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Nuggets and Suns.
The altercation began when Jokic went to retrieve a loose ball on the sideline and grabbed it away from a fan. After that, he deliberately gave Ishbia a shove and pushed him down. Referee Tony Brothers issued Jokic a technical foul but did not eject him from the game.
After the game, Brothers explained his decision to give Jokic only a technical foul instead of an ejection: “I just deemed the contact as not being severe enough to warrant an ejection,” he said. “It was more of a push than anything else.”
The incident has sparked debate among NBA fans about whether or not Jokic should have been given a harsher punishment for his actions. Some feel that he should have been ejected from the game for making contact with Ishbia, while others believe that his actions were not severe enough to warrant an ejection.
“I think it’s crazy that Nikola got a technical foul in that situation,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters after the game. “Going to get the ball, and some fan is holding onto the ball who wants be a part of the game. Just give the ball up, man. The deemed Nikola doing something that was excessive and they gave him the tech. I still don’t really understand it.”
A reporter then told Malone that the “fan” was the Suns owner.
“I don’t give a s–t,” the coach responded.
Charles Barkley weighed in on the situation during TNT’s postgame show, saying “I don’t understand why [Jokić] got a technical…If [Ishbia] had been a regular fan, I’m pretty sure security would have taken care of it.” Meanwhile, other NBA personalities such as Magic Johnson and Skip Bayless took to Twitter to express their opinions on the matter.
It appears that Jokic will face no further punishment beyond his technical foul for shoving Suns owner Mat Ishbia, but it’s possible that this could change.
Jokic and the Suns owner. 😳
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2023
Nikola Jokic addresses the incident with Suns owner Mat Ishbia in Game 4 tonight:
"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" pic.twitter.com/uLL8qBS17H
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 8, 2023
