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During the second quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns on May 7, Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic shoved Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
Ishbia was holding the ball and Jokic was trying to get it from him. The two-time MVP then shoved Ishbia with his left arm and received a technical foul.
The Suns won Game 4 by a final score of 129-124 to even up the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Jokic, who scored 53 points in Game 4, didn’t hold back on Ishbia during his postgame press conference.
“He (the ref) told me I was elbowing the fan,” Jokic said. “But the fan put the hand on me first. So I thought the league’s supposed to protect us or whatever. But maybe I’m wrong. So we will see.”
When a reporter asked Jokic if he knew the person he shoved was Ishbia, the Nuggets superstar said, “He’s a fan. I know who he is, but he’s a fan, isn’t he? Sitting on the court and he’s a fan, isn’t he? Whoever it is, he’s a fan. He cannot influence the game by holding the ball.”
Nikola Jokic: Mat Ishbia’s Hands Were on Me
Jokic doesn’t think he should be fined or suspended for what he did since Ishbia’s hands were on him.
“But his hands on me,” Jokic said. “So they’re not gonna protect me? They’re gonna protect the fan? Not me as a person, but I’m talking about as a player. I mean, they (the NBA) can do whatever of course. They don’t care. But I think they’re supposed to protect players. … I was trying to rip the ball and so he didn’t let go. So he’s influencing the game I think. I think he’s supposed to get kicked out if he’s influencing the game.”
Jokic was unstoppable in Game 4. The five-time All-Star recorded 53 points, four rebounds and 11 assists in 39 minutes while shooting 20-of-30 from the field, 1-of-3 from beyond the arc and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line. However, the Nuggets had no answers for Suns stars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Both Booker and Durant put up 36 points and now the series shifts back to Denver for Game 5.
Nikola Jokic: Devin Booker Is Incredible
Jokic had a lot of praise for Booker, who scored 83 points combined in Games 3 and 4 in front of Suns fans.
“In two games, Booker scored how many, 80? And missed eight shots?” Jokic said. “So that’s impressive. You need to respect that. And he had 12 assists (tonight).”
Booker finished with 27 points in Game 1, 35 in Game 2, 47 in Game 3 and 36 in Game 4. The All-Star shooting guard leads the 2023 playoffs in points per game and is clearly on a mission to win his first championship.
Game 5 of this series is on May 9 at Ball Arena. The Nuggets won Games 1 and 2 at home by double-digits. It’s unknown if Suns veteran point guard Chris Paul will be able to play in Game 5, as the future Hall of Famer is still recovering from the left groin injury he suffered in Game 2.
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