Overview
- With 8:03 left in the fourth, Dort backed into Jokic and stuck out his leg, and the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 on video review for an automatic ejection.
- A multi-player scrum followed the play, and Jokic and Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams were assessed offsetting technical fouls with no additional ejections.
- Crew chief James Williams said the contact was unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury and contributed to an altercation that did not dissolve.
- Jokic called it an “unnecessary move” and his shove a “necessary reaction,” while Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he expects the same Flagrant 2 standard to be applied consistently.
- Nuggets coach David Adelman defended Jokic and later described the play as malicious and a cheap shot; Oklahoma City won 127-121 in overtime behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 36-point return, and the rivals meet again March 9.