Okc Thunder OT victory marred as Nikola Jokić angrily confronts Lu Dort after trip
A fourth-quarter trip by Lu Dort that drew an upgraded Flagrant 2 and a furious Nikola Jokić ignited a midcourt confrontation and helped define an overtime 127-121 result that keeps okc thunder atop the Western Conference. The sequence produced ejections, offsetting technicals and a flashpoint of reactions from players and coaches.
The incident: trip, confrontation and ejection
The skirmish began late in the fourth quarter when Lu Dort, the Thunder guard noted for his physical play, stuck out his right leg and tripped Nikola Jokić as Jokić was jogging up the floor without the ball following an Oklahoma City score. After a foul stopped play, Jokić confronted Dort, putting his chest into him. Jaylin Williams, Dort's teammate, then came to Dort's defense and exchanged shoves with Jokić as players and coaches from both teams rushed to midcourt.
Officials reviewed the play, upgraded Dort's foul to a Flagrant 2, and ejected Dort. Jokić and Williams received matching unsportsmanlike technical fouls that offset; both were allowed to remain in the game. It took a period of intervention before the two were pried apart and the altercation subsided. Replay showed an intense side of Jokić during the confrontation.
Officials' explanation and player remarks
Crew chief James Williams explained that Dort was assessed a Flagrant 2 because the contact on Jokić was unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury, and because the contact led to an altercation that did not dissolve. League rules note that throwing a punch is punished by an automatic ejection and a suspension of at least one game; officials determined Jokić did not throw a punch when he took a swipe at Williams with his left hand.
Jokić characterized Dort's action as an unnecessary move that invited a necessary reaction and expressed confidence he would not be ejected, saying he hadn’t done anything deserving of ejection and declining further comment on the escalation by saying it was not worth it. Neither Dort nor Williams were made available for comment by the Thunder after the game. Nuggets forward Cam Johnson said he did not see the play because his back was turned but called it a cheap shot sufficient for Dort to be thrown out.
Okc Thunder performance and key numbers
The overtime period tilted decisively toward Oklahoma City, which shut down Denver across the extra five minutes and emerged with a 127-121 victory. Nikola Jokić finished with 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, along with 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray paced all scorers with 39 points, and only two other Denver players finished with more than seven points.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain and led the Thunder with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes.
- Chet Holmgren contributed 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks.
- Thunder role players including Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain made key plays that swung the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander did not play in overtime because of a minutes restriction; despite that absence, OKC depth proved decisive down the stretch.
Game context and standings impact
Denver led by as many as 16 points in the first quarter before Oklahoma City rallied to force overtime after Jokić tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation. The win moves the Thunder to 46-15 and places them two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the West. The Nuggets sit tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place at 37-23.
Coaches' reactions and lingering questions
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault described the contest as chippy, noting the teams had recently met in a seven-game playoff series, share a division and have a long competitive history that can make games imperfect and volatile. He emphasized that players were great competitors and that the situation boiled over rather than stemming from intent to injure. Daigneault added that if a player for his team is running up the floor and gets tripped, they would expect a Flagrant 2 call going forward; when asked whether he was suggesting Dort’s ejection was tied to Jokić being a three-time MVP, Daigneault said he would not answer in that way and that he "said what I needed to say a"—an answer that is unclear in the provided context.
Recent updates indicate these details reflect the state of play and reactions immediately following the game; additional discipline or further comment may evolve.
