Inside The Nuggets

NBA Breaks Silence on Controversial Nikola Jokic Play

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was very upset at a non-call vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
Joey Linn|
Nov 22, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena.
Nov 22, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Denver NuggetsDallas Mavericks

The Denver Nuggets fell to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night by a final score of 123-120. Nikola Jokic returned to the lineup for Denver after a three-game absence due to personal reasons, and picked up right where he left off.

Recording another triple-double, Jokic finished with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. This was Jokic’s fifth-straight triple-double, as he continues to average one on the season.

With 10 seconds remaining in this game, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray hit a huge three that cut Denver’s deficit to just one point. Jokic thought he was fouled by Dereck Lively underneath the basket, and yelled at the official after the play.

The NBA has since released an official explanation for this play via their Last Two Minute Report, deeming it a correct non-call by the referee.

“Lively II (DAL) brings two hands to Jokic's (DEN) back while the shot attempt is airborne and marginal contact occurs,” the NBA wrote. “Lively II does not extend his arms to dislodge Jokic.”

There was a lot of discussion on social media about the referee’s decision to not give Jokic a technical foul for his reaction. This is a decision the ESPN broadcast agreed with, as play-by-play announcer Mike Breen praised the official for not allowing that moment to impact the game’s final score.

This loss dropped the Nuggets to 8-6 on the season.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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