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NY Post
New York Post
8 May 2023


NextImg:Nuggets coach Mike Malone fumes over Nikola Jokic-Mat Ishbia dust-up: ‘Don’t give a s–t’

An aggressive fan is an aggressive fan, even if he is the billionaire owner of the team.

Nuggets coach Mike Malone and Nikola Jokic both spoke out against Suns owner Mat Ishbia after he was involved in an incident with the star center during Phoenix’s 129-124 Game 4 win on Sunday.

Near the end of the second quarter, Ishbia ended up with the ball after Suns forward Josh Okogie dove into the stands trying to save the ball from going out of bounds.

When Jokic went to retrieve the ball, it flew backwards and as the two-time MVP was trying to get the ball from a fan, he made contact with Ishbia, who flew backwards.

“I think it’s crazy he got a technical for that. [Jokic] is going to get the ball, and some fan was holding the ball like he wants to be part of the game …” Malone told reporters after the game. “They deemed Nikola doing something that was excessive, I guess, and they gave him a tech, but I still don’t really understand it.”

Malone was then informed that the fan was Ishbia, the 43-year-old billionaire businessman who became the owner of the Suns and WNBA’s Mercury in February.

Nikola Jokic reaches for the ball from a fan in the stands.
Getty Images

Nikola Jokic reaches for the ball from Mat Ishbia.

Nikola Jokic reaches for the ball from Mat Ishbia.
Denver Post via Getty Images

Consider Malone unimpressed.

“I don’t give a s–t. I really don’t care,” Malone said.

Jokic explained that he was trying to retrieve the ball quickly to give the Nuggets an advantage on offense, given Okogie was tangled up in the crowd.

“[The ref] told me I was elbowing the fan,” Jokic, who scored 53 points, 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.”

Jokic got a technical on the play and the NBA is likely to review the altercation to see if it warrants a suspension for Tuesday’s pivotal Game 5 in Denver.

Nikola Jokic got a technical for the interaction with Mat Ishbia.

Nikola Jokic got a technical for the interaction with Mat Ishbia.
TNT

Mike Malone on the sidelines during Game 4 of the Suns-Nuggets series.

Mike Malone on the sidelines during Game 4 of the Suns-Nuggets series.
Denver Post via Getty Images

“One of the fans was holding the ball, Jokic came to get the ball, grabbed it away from the fan,” referee Tony Brothers said after the game. “Then after that, he deliberately gave him a shove and pushed him down, so he was issued an unsportsmanlike technical foul.”

However, some on social media argued that Ishbia exaggerated his fall after taking a the push from Jokic.

The series is now even at two games apiece as each team protected their home court with two wins each.