NBA Breaks Silence on Nikola Jokic and Mat Ishbia Scuffle
NBA official Tony Brothers spoke with Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic for a Pool Report interview about the Game 4 scuffle between Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia:
QUESTION: Why did Nikola Jokic receive an unsportsmanlike technical foul for the fan exchange late in the first half? BROTHERS: The ball went over into the corner there and one of the fans was holding the ball. Jokic came to get the ball, grabbed it away from the fan, then after that he deliberately gave him a shove and pushed him down, so he was issued an unsportsmanlike technical foul. QUESTION: So, he pushed the fan down? BROTHERS: Yes QUESTION: It’s the same fan that had the ball, right? BROTHERS: The fan no longer had the ball, but it was the fan that started with the ball. QUESTION: What led to him getting the unsportsmanlike technical foul instead of being ejected? BROTHERS: I just deemed the technical foul the appropriate penalty for what happened over there. He didn’t just run over and hit a fan. There was some engagement, so I deemed the technical foul the appropriate penalty.
The Pool Report was released shortly after the game, and explained why Jokic was assessed a technical foul. It will be interesting to see if the NBA makes any further ruling after reviewing the scuffle more closely.
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