Getty Images Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets delivered a haymaker in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 22, going up 2-0.
Jokic’s brothers were delivering their own haymakers in the crowd — in a much more literal way.
Video has circulated showing Jokic’s brother, Strahinja, punching a fan in the face during Game 2. In the 14-second video, Strahinja Jokic and another brother, Nemanja, appear to continue toward the fan, who was in a lower row at Denver’s Ball Arena. No other part of the incident was recorded. It’s unknown whether the confrontation escalated further.
TMZ reported that “the NBA is currently looking into the situation.” The Athletic also confirmed that the league is investigating.
Denver police are also looking into the incident, per ESPN, citing an email from the department.
“At this time, no one has come forward as a victim of this incident,” the email said, per ESPN. “The Department is looking into this incident, is actively working to identify the person in the video who was struck, and encourages anyone who was involved or witnessed this firsthand to contact the Denver Police Department.”
Jokic Brothers Had Spat With Morris Brothers in 2021
Nikola Jokic’s older brother Strahinja threw a punch at a fan following the Nuggets’ 20-point comeback win vs. the Lakers 👀
(via cgallegos67/TT)
It’s not the first time the Jokic brothers have been in the headlines. In 2021, they had a very public spat with NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris. Nikola Jokic shoved Markieff Morris during a game, resulting in a one-game suspension. The brother duo took to social media to issue a warning to the Morris twins.
“You should leave this the way it is instead of publicly threatening our brother!” a tweet from the account “JokicBrothers” read. “Your brother made a dirty play first. If you want to make a step further be sure we will be waiting for you !! Jokic Brothers”
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Continue Dominance of Lakers
Getty ImagesNikola Jokic and the Nuggets have a 2-0 lead on the Lakers.
Jokic is a two-time MVP and one of the biggest stars in the league. He helped spur the Nuggets’ 20-point comeback in Game 2, registering 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
The video of the altercation distracts from what has been a tremendous playoff showing so far for Jokic. The Denver big man is averaging 29.5 points, 16 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game. Jokic is shooting 61.5% from the field and 42.9% from deep.
With the Game 2 win, the Nuggets have now won 10 in a row against the Lakers, dating back to last year’s Western Conference Finals.
Jokic was not the hero in the 101-99 win, which included a 20-point comeback. That title belonged to Jamal Murray. The Nuggets guard shook off a slow start with a huge fourth quarter, which included the game-winning step-back at the buzzer.
“The thing about Jamal is that we know what he’s capable of,” Jokic said. “We obviously would like him to make every shot, but we know that everyone goes through a bad stretch. We know what he’s capable of, and we want him to shoot the ball because we know he can make all kinds of shots.”
The series now heads to Los Angeles for Game 3. The Nuggets are seeking to become the first back-to-back champs since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2017-18.