A battle between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder got chippy on Friday, February 27, in Oklahoma.
As the multi-time MVP Nikola Jokic was tripped up early in the fourth quarter, both teams met at the center of the court as there was a verbal exchange with some shoving involved.
The officials didn’t hesitate to toss OKC veteran Lu Dort from the matchup. He was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul call, which led to an automatic ejection.
Nikola Jokic’s Reaction Goes Viral
Jokic isn’t one to get angry on the court often—but Friday’s action was a different story.
After clearly getting tripped up on purpose, Jokic had a rare moment where he got heated. Clips of the reaction made rounds on social media, going viral as the Thunder and the Nuggets battle it out.
NBA Fans Discuss Nikola Jokic’s Reaction
GettyNikola Jokic got heated in Friday’s game between the Nuggets and the Thunder.
via @Danhurleyuconn: Dort so dirty
@TravisH56960544: Better watch your back with Jokic’s brothers in attendance..
@KingssportsonX: “He dOeSn’T cArE aBoUt BaSkEtBaLl” Man was ready to crash out like DG…
@WoaXMamba: bro look like kane
@TheSyndicate_12: Jokic a real demon
Dort left the game after checking in for 28 minutes.
The one-time champion was shooting 3-7 from the field, scoring eight points. He dished out one assist, and had six rebounds, and one steal on the night.
The league will likely review the incident further to determine whether it warrants additional punishment.
Did Nikola Jokic And The Nuggets Get The Last Laugh?
GettyThe Denver Nuggets paid a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday for their second meeting of the 2025-2026 NBA season.
Although Jokic didn’t start the incident, his reaction placed him in danger of getting tossed as well. Fortunately for the Nuggets, he managed to stay in the game.
With a little over nine minutes left to go, the Nuggets needed all the help they could get to take care of business against the Thunder.
Denver couldn’t find separation in regulation. At the end of the fourth quarter, the game was tied up at 107. Jokic and the Nuggets needed overtime to settle the score.
At the end of the fourth, Jokic had 40 minutes under his belt. The star center went 8-21 from the field. He made two of his seven three-point attempts and finished 3-5 from the line. Jokic accounted for 21 points, making it a triple-double with 13 assists and 17 rebounds.
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After overtime, Jokic finished the game with 23 points, 14 assists, and 17 rebounds. The Nuggets came up short against the defending champions, losing 127-121.
With an unusual amount of games missed due to a knee injury, Jokic is walking a tight rope when it comes to the MVP conversation. He added another strong outing to his resume for the year. In 43 games before Saturday, the star center put up averages of 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 10.4 assists.
Jokic remains one of the top MVP candidates in the NBA as long as he’s eligible for the 65-game rule.
Nikola Jokic Goes Viral for Heated Reaction in Nuggets-Thunder