Nikola Jokić angrily confronts Lu Dort as tempers flare in Nuggets-Thunder clash

Emerson Raymont

Published: February 28, 2026 11:25 AM ET

thunder erupted on Friday night in Oklahoma City when a fourth-quarter hip check/trip by Lu Dort on Nikola Jokić sparked an on-court confrontation that culminated in Dort's ejection and contributed to a 127-121 overtime victory for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokić angrily confronts Lu Dort

The skirmish broke out in the fourth quarter when the Thunder guard appeared to intentionally trip the three-time MVP with what was described as a hip check with an outstretched leg. Nikola Jokić took exception to the contact and angrily moved toward Lu Dort. That exchange escalated when Thunder forward Jaylin Williams confronted Jokić; the two became physical and players and coaches from both teams rushed toward midcourt. It took time to pry Williams and Jokić apart.

Penalties, ejection and officiating explanation

Officials assessed Lu Dort a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected him from the game. Nikola Jokić and Jaylin Williams were given offsetting technical fouls. Crew chief James Williams said the hip-check/trip combination was dangerous and that the crew deemed Dort's contact unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury; because the contact led to an altercation that did not dissolve, the contact met the rule for a Flagrant 2, which carries an automatic ejection.

Thunder's overtime dominance and depth

The extra five minutes was one-sided in favor of the Thunder, who shut down the Nuggets in overtime en route to a 127-121 win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, making his return from an abdominal strain, led Oklahoma City with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes, though he missed all of overtime because of a minutes restriction. Chet Holmgren contributed 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks, and the Thunder got key plays from Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain—demonstrating the depth that proved decisive in the closing stretch.

Game context, key plays and pivotal moments

The game had been a thriller that went to overtime after Nikola Jokić tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation. Denver had led by as many as 16 points in the first quarter before Oklahoma City mounted a comeback. Images from the contest captured Jaylin Williams falling into Jokić while pursuing a rebound in the second half, and showed Jokić driving past Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein in the first half; another sequence involved Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battling with Nuggets guard Julian Strawther for loose-ball possession.

Individual performances and statistical snapshot

Nikola Jokić: 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, 17 rebounds, 14 assists (triple-double).
Jamal Murray: team-high 39 points for Denver, the game’s leading scorer.
Only two other Nuggets scored more than seven points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 36 points, 9 assists; returned from abdominal strain but sat out overtime due to minutes restriction.
Chet Holmgren: 15 points, 21 rebounds, 3 blocks.

Reaction, replay and social commentary

Further replay showed a side of Nikola Jokić that some observers described as frankly terrifying; a social post dated February 28, 2026 called the replay nightmare-inducing. The confrontation and those replays amplified discussion about physical play and how officials police contact on star players.

Standings impact and broader implications

The victory keeps the Thunder at 46-15 and two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference. The Nuggets sit at 37-23, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place. The clash and the ejection add a combustible layer to a rivalry that included a seven-game Western Conference semifinal last season, a series the Thunder won 4-3, and underscores Denver’s intent to match Oklahoma City’s aggressive style.

The incident, ejection and final score leave clear talking points about player safety, officiating thresholds for flagrant fouls, and how depth and rotations shaped the outcome in overtime. Details on any additional disciplinary action remain unclear in the provided context.