• Nuggets star Nikola Jokic made contact with Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia throughout Sunday evening’s sport.
• Jokic obtained a technical foul after the alternate, a name he pushed again in opposition to after the sport.
• Commentators, together with former Suns celebrity Charles Barkley, sided with Jokic.

A tense second on the finish of the primary half of Sunday evening’s playoff sport between the Nuggets and Suns ended with a technical foul for Denver celebrity Nikola Jokic.

With simply over two minutes remaining within the half, Suns ahead Josh Okogie dove into the entrance row of seats for a free ball however was unable to reserve it.

The ball ended up within the arms of Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia. As Ishbia’s consideration was on the Suns participant on the bottom, Jokic got here up and grabbed on the ball in his arms. Ishbia resisted, and the ball went additional into the group. As Jokic continued to name for the ball, he made contact with Ishbia, who fell backward.

You’ll be able to see Ishbia as the person within the inexperienced jacket beneath.

—Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 8, 2023

It is price noting that Jokic usually performs shortly from out of bounds when the chance arises for a person benefit on the opposite finish. With Okogie nonetheless snarled within the seats, Jokic was urgent for the ball to arrange his group for a five-on-four.

The interplay resulted in a technical foul for Jokic, and Ishbia was not punished for his involvement within the scene.

After the sport, Jokic and his coach Michael Malone expressed frustration with the technical foul name.

“I feel it is loopy that Nikola acquired a technical foul in that scenario,” Malone mentioned. “He’s going to get the ball, and a few fan is holding on to the ball like he desires to be part of the sport. Simply give the ball up, man.”

“His arms [were] on me,” Jokic mentioned. “So [the NBA] just isn’t going to guard me? They will shield the fan? Not me as an individual; I am speaking about as a participant.”

—Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2023

The “Insider the NBA” crew on TNT additionally sided with Jokic.

“If it was another fan on the planet, they would not have given him a technical,” mentioned former participant Kenny Smith.

“If that had been a daily fan, he would have gotten tossed,” Charles Barkley agreed.

—Terrible Asserting (@awfulannouncing) May 8, 2023

Whereas some reporters introduced up the potential for a high quality or suspension from the league in direction of Jokic throughout his post-game press convention, on Monday morning, Ishbia wrote on Twitter that he didn’t want to see any additional punishment given to Jokic.

“Nice win for the Suns final evening in an incredible collection to this point!” Ishbia wrote. “That ought to be and is the one story. Suspending or fining anybody over final evening’s incident wouldn’t be proper. I’ve loads of respect for Jokic and do not need to see something like that. Excited for sport 5! Go Suns!”