Getty Suns star Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns small forward Kevin Durant didn’t think the incident between Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic and Suns owner Mat Ishbia was that big of a deal.
Durant told reporters on May 8 that “sh*t happens in a basketball game.”
“I ain’t think it was nothin’,” Durant said. “I think it was, sh*t happens in a basketball game. Everybody’s emotional at that point. But with so much sh*t that’s been going on around the league with that stuff, suspensions, I knew it was gonna be a story. But I’m glad we can move past it.”
Jokic shoved Ishbia in Game 4 while trying to retrieve the ball from the crowd. The two-time MVP was fined $25,000 by the NBA on May 8, but he will be available to play in Game 5, which is on May 9.
The Nuggets and Suns are tied at 2-2 in the best-of-seven series.
Nikola Jokic Went Off About the Incident With Mat Ishbia
Jokic didn’t hold back after Game 4 during his postgame press conference while talking about the incident with Ishbia. The Nuggets star thinks Ishbia should have been thrown out of the game.
“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 future Hall of Famer 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. … But his hands on me. 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.”
Mat Ishbia Went on Twitter
Ishbia tweeted on May 8 that he didn’t want to see Jokic get fined or suspended.
“Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!,” Ishbia tweeted. “That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last night’s incident would not be right. I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!”
The Suns would have had an easier time winning Game 5 if Jokic was out. The All-Star is averaging 36.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the series while shooting 57.0% from the floor, 42.9% from beyond the arc and 86.7% from the free-throw line. Jokic had 53 points, four rebounds and 11 assists in 39 minutes in Game 4.
Durant and Devin Booker are averaging a combined 66.8 points in the 2023 playoffs. The two scorers will have to have a great night in Game 5 for the Suns to win on the road in Denver.
