Nuggets Vs Thunder: Nikola Jokić Confronts Lu Dort After Trip in nuggets vs thunder clash
The Nuggets and Thunder game in Oklahoma City on Friday erupted late, when Lu Dort appeared to trip Nikola Jokić and the center responded by confronting him. The confrontation led to a Flagrant 2 ejection for Dort and offsetting technicals for Jokić and Jaylin Williams, and the Thunder went on to win 127-121 in overtime.
Fourth-quarter trip sparks midcourt skirmish
The incident began in the fourth quarter when, as Nikola Jokić was jogging up the floor after Oklahoma City scored, Lu Dort stuck out his right leg and tripped him; officials initially called a common foul. Jokić immediately got back to his feet and put his chest into Dort, prompting OKC center Jaylin Williams to come to Dort's defense. Williams and Jokić exchanged shoves during a brief altercation at midcourt, players and coaches from both teams rushed in, and it took a while before the two were pried loose from each other.
Officials upgrade to Flagrant 2 in Nuggets Vs Thunder; technicals assessed
After reviewing the footage, officials upgraded Dort's foul to a Flagrant 2, resulting in his automatic ejection. Nikola Jokić and Jaylin Williams were each assessed unsportsmanlike technical fouls that were offset, allowing both to remain in the game. Crew chief James Williams said the contact was deemed "unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury" and that the contact "led to an altercation that did not dissolve. " He added that, when reviewing the play, officials did not see actions by either player that rose to the level of an ejection, which is why both players received offsetting technicals.
Jokić's reaction and comments after the altercation
Nikola Jokić, typically reserved, described the sequence as "Unnecessary move and a necessary reaction, " saying he believed such contact should not happen on a basketball floor. He said he was confident he would not be ejected because "I didn't do nothing, " and declined further comment about the exchange with Williams, saying "it's not worth it. " Officials determined Jokić did not throw a punch when he took a swipe at Williams with his left hand. The NBA rulebook states that a punch is automatically punished by an ejection and suspension of at least one game.
Game went to overtime after Jokić tied it late; Thunder depth decisive
The game went to overtime after Jokić tied it with 38 seconds left in regulation. The extra five minutes were one-sided in favor of the Thunder, who shut down the Nuggets and won 127-121 in overtime. Jokić finished with 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray led Denver with 39 points, and only two other Nuggets scored more than seven points.
Thunder leaders, injuries and standings implications
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, making his return from an abdominal strain, led Oklahoma City with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes but missed all of overtime due to a minutes restriction. Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks. Denver had led by as many as 16 points in the first quarter before OKC mounted its comeback. Players like Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain made key plays over the course of the game, and that depth proved decisive.
Coaches and teammates weigh in
Neither Lu Dort nor Jaylin 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 added, "obviously, it was a cheap shot enough for (Dort) to be thrown out, so they took care of it. " Thunder coach Mark Daigneault described the contest as "a chippy game, " noting the teams had played a seven-game series against each other, are in the same division and have met many times; he said it had "just boiled over" and that he did not think anyone was trying to hurt anybody. Daigneault also said that if one of his players, such as J-Will, is running up the floor and gets tripped, the team would expect a flagrant two from that point forward. When asked whether he was implying Dort was ejected because a three-time MVP was involved, Daigneault declined to answer the question in that way, saying he had said what he needed to say about it. Nuggets coach David Adelman said he still needed to rewatch the incident.
Further replay of the sequence showed a side of Nikola Jokić that some described as "frankly terrifying, " underscoring how heated the exchange became on a Friday night in Oklahoma City. The result kept the Thunder's record at 46-15, two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the West, while the Nuggets sat tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place at 37-23.
