The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns starred in one of the most exciting games in the playoffs this season.
However, people won’t be talking about what happened on the court but about what almost went down on the sideline.
Nikola Jokic elbowed a Suns fan sitting courtside, and that Suns fan happened to be team owner Mat Ishbia.
When asked about the incident, however, Jokic showed no remorse and even called the league and the owner out for influencing the game, stating that he should’ve been ejected no matter who he was.
Nikola Jokic on the incident with the Suns owner:
"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.”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2023
Truth be told, the clip might give Jokic a point right there.
Ishbia held onto the ball when it went out of bounds and then let it fly out of his hands when Jokic reached out to try and get it.
It’s highly unlikely that Jokic knew who Ishbia was, as he wasn’t even looking at him during the scuffle.
Needless to say, there’s no way to condone violent behavior, and Jokic should know better than to put his team in a tough position during a must-win playoff game.
But the fans should never have an impact of that kind in the game, and Ishbia seemingly exaggerated when he flailed his arms back.
The Suns’ owner did his job; he got his team an extra point with that technical foul.
Still, the league might consider fining or even suspending him, as they also need to make a statement and show that they want to protect their players as well.
NEXT: Nikola Jokic Made NBA Playoff History In Game 3 Loss