The reason for the last scuffle between Nikola Jokic and Luguentz Dort

A tension-filled showdown between Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder ended in ejections, technical fouls, and direct confrontations among the players.

It all unraveled with 8:03 left in the final quarter when Luguentz Dort backpedaled in transition and extended his right leg, causing Nikola Jokic to fall in the Paycom Center. The Serbian center immediately got up and angrily confronted the defender.

"It's an unnecessary play and a necessary reaction," stated Jokic after the 127-121 overtime loss.
"Those things aren't supposed to happen on a basketball court."

Following the initial clash, Jokic chest-bumped Dort. Thunder's center, Jaylin Williams, quickly stepped in and ended up exchanging shoves and grabs with the three-time MVP, while players and coaches surrounded the scene.

Upon review by the officials, the foul on Jokic was upgraded to flagrant 2, resulting in Dort's automatic ejection. Jokic and Williams received technical fouls but were not ejected.

The chief official explained that the contact was deemed "unnecessary and excessive, with a high potential for injury."

Thunder's coach, Mark Daigneault, made his stance clear:

"If someone runs across the court and gets tripped, we expect a flagrant 2 from now on. If that's the precedent, we're fine."

Return with Limited Minutes

The altercation overshadowed the return of the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who contributed 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes. He did not play in the overtime period due to a minutes restriction after missing nine games with an abdominal strain.

Gilgeous-Alexander also received a technical foul in the first quarter for throwing the ball towards Jokic after a post-whistle contact.

Despite the heated atmosphere, the Canadian guard downplayed the situation:

"We are two high-level teams that know each other well. Playoff basketball is physical and aggressive like this at the end of the season."

Growing Rivalry

The matchup recalled the intense seven-game series these teams had in last season's Western Conference semifinals. The friction resurfaced, confirming that every Nuggets-Thunder encounter has a playoff feel to it.

This time, the victory went to Oklahoma City. But the lasting image will be of Jokic rising from the floor and demanding respect in the midst of a rivalry that continues to escalate.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El motivo de la última tangana entre Nikola Jokic y Luguentz Dort