Nikola Jokic MVP was ejected at semifinals
NBA, Playoffs — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has apologised after the NBA’s MVP was ejected for taking a swing at Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne in Sunday’s Western Conference semi-final exit.
Jokic caught Payne across the face as the Serbian attempted to steal the ball with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter.
Suns guard Devin Booker confronted Jokic after the foul and the teams briefly scuffled before being separated.
Jokic was ejected following a review. He finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds as Denver lost Game Four 118-125 and were swept 4-0 in the best-of-seven series.
“I thought honestly they would not eject me,” Jokic said, I wanted to change the rhythm of the game, I wanted to give us some energy, maybe change the whistle a little bit, so I wanted to make a hard foul.
“Did I hit him, did I not hit him? We don’t know. So I say sorry if I did because I did not want to injure him or hit him in the head on purpose.”
Booker, who was given a technical foul for the confrontation, said Jokic’s foul was an “emotional play”.
“I don’t think he meant harm by it,” Booker said. “Just a frustration foul. It’s tough, just defending my team mate, that was it. “I know he’s not a malicious player,” he said of Jokic.
Jokic left the game having recorded 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, to go along with 11 rebounds and 4 assists in 28 minutes. He is only the fifth MVP ever to be swept in a playoff series, joining Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wes Unseld. For the third time in his career, Jokic led the Nuggets in the series in points, rebounds and assists.
.@CP3 passes Isiah Thomas to move into 13th on the @NBA Playoffs All-Time Total Assists Leaderboard. pic.twitter.com/2J48jb1FiN
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) June 14, 2021
The Suns dominated the series, winning by an average of 15.7 points. There were no answers to Paul, who displayed his mastery of the midrange throughout the series, finishing Game 4 with 37 points on 14-of-19 shooting.
