Okc altercation: Luguentz Dort ejected after tripping Nikola Jokic as Thunder win 127-121 in overtime
A fourth-quarter skirmish between Luguentz Dort and Nikola Jokic culminated in Dort's ejection and offsetting technicals for Jokic and Jaylin Williams in a game the okc Thunder won 127-121 in overtime. The confrontation, an on-court upgrade to a Flagrant 2 after review, helped define a volatile finish in a contest that also marked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's return from injury.
Okc's Luguentz Dort ejected after leg trip on Nikola Jokic
The sequence began when Jokic was jogging upcourt after an Oklahoma City score and Dort stuck out his right leg, tripping the three-time MVP. Officials initially called a common foul, but after a video review the contact was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 and Dort was automatically ejected. The play sparked an immediate shove match at midcourt when Jokic confronted Dort and Jaylin Williams—Dort's teammate—came to Dort's defense.
Nikola Jokic's reaction and comments
Nikola Jokic said the trip was "unnecessary" and that his response was "a necessary reaction, " adding that those kinds of plays have no place on a basketball floor. Jokic rose to his feet after the trip, put his chest into Dort and swiped at Williams with his left hand; officials reviewed the exchange and determined Jokic did not throw a punch. He told reporters he was confident he would not be ejected because "I didn't do nothing, " and declined further comment, saying "it's not worth it. " Replays also captured a more intense side of Jokic as the altercation unfolded.
Officials upgrade to Flagrant 2 — crew chief James Williams's ruling
Crew chief James Williams explained the decision, saying that Dort's contact on Jokic was deemed "unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury" and that the contact precipitated an altercation that did not dissolve. Both Jokic and Jaylin Williams were assessed unsportsmanlike technical fouls that offset, allowing them to remain in the game. Officials noted that the NBA rulebook treats a punch as an automatic ejection with a suspension of at least one game, and their review concluded the actions did not meet that threshold.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's return and game impact
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain he sustained on 3 February and had missed nine games. The 27-year-old played 34 minutes, opened his scoring with a layup, and poured in 36 points with 9 assists, but he remained on the bench for overtime because of a minutes restriction. Early in the contest he was called for a technical foul after throwing the ball at Jokic following contact that occurred after play had stopped. Gilgeous-Alexander said simply, "Felt good, " and that he was "thankful to be back. "
Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Thunder depth decide overtime
The extra period was one-sided for Oklahoma City, which scored the first five points in overtime and held the Nuggets scoreless through the five-minute span to seal a 127-121 victory. Alex Caruso took charge late, and although his drive at the buzzer in regulation bounced off the rim and forced overtime, he and role players such as Jaylin Williams and Jared McCain made key plays down the stretch. Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks, a presence that underscored the Thunder's depth when Shai sat out the extra minutes.
Box score details and standings implications
Nikola Jokic posted a triple-double with 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 39 points, and only two other Denver players finished with more than seven points. Denver had led by as many as 16 in the first quarter before Oklahoma City rallied. The win moves the Thunder to 46-15 and keeps them two games clear of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference; the Nuggets sit tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves at 37-23.
Reactions from coaches and teammates
Nuggets forward Cam Johnson, who said he did not see the trip because his back was turned, called the action a "cheap shot enough for (Dort) to be thrown out. " Thunder coach Mark Daigneault characterized the night as "chippy, " noting the two clubs had met in a seven-game series, are in the same division and have a long history against one another, saying the matchup "just boiled over. " He added that if a player such as J-Will is running up the floor and is tripped, the team would expect a Flagrant 2 call going forward. When pressed about whether Jokic's status influenced the ejection, Daigneault declined to elaborate further. Nuggets coach David Adelman said he still needed to rewatch the incident to form a full view. Neither Dort nor Jaylin Williams were made available for comment after the game.
What makes this notable is how a single on-court act—a right-leg trip—rapidly rippled through officiating review, player reactions and the final outcome, shaping not just one sequence but the tone and tenor of a postseason-relevant meeting between two familiar rivals.
