NBA Fines Jokic $25k But Opts Not To Suspend Him For Altercation With Suns Owner During Game 4

Photo: Instagram/Nikola Jokic

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for "making improper contact with a spectator sitting courtside".

Despite the incident, the league has opted not to suspend him for his brief tussle with new Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia during Game 4 on Sunday night.

The incident occurred during the second quarter of Phoenix's 129-124 victory, tying the series at 2-2. The altercation happened when the basketball went out of bounds off of Phoenix and into the hands of Ishbia, who refused to give the ball to Jokic.

Photo: Instagram/Nikola Jokic is known for his impressive performance on the court. However, he has also been involved in a few altercations with other players during his career.

Jokic wanted to make a quick inbounds pass but the ball ended up in the stands. Not knowing who Ishbia was, Jokic used a light forearm to shove him and the Suns owner fell back into his courtside seat.

The league issued a statement regarding the incident, stating that "Jokic made contact with Ishbia in an attempt to take the game ball away and immediately after when the ball flew further back into the crowd." Following the incident, Jokic argued that Ishbia had put his hand on him first.

Despite the incident, Ishbia did not want the league to suspend Jokic, who had an impressive 53 points in Game 4 and is averaging 36.5 points, 14 rebounds, and 9.5 assists while shooting 57% from the field and 42.9% on 3-pointers against Phoenix.

Ishbia, who played college basketball at Michigan State and made his fortune in the mortgage business, purchased a majority stake in the Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury for $4 billion.

In a halftime interview on Sunday, Ishbia said he was "fine" and more concerned about the game than the altercation. He was back in his usual seat during the second half of the game.

Read Next: LeBron James' Son Bronny Commits To USC For Basketball: A Historic Moment For The James Family

Source: USA Today

Comments

Post a Comment

Trending Now

Angela Carini Speaks Out On Imane Khelif Controversy With Instagram Post

Image
Photo: Angela Carini (Instagram) Olympic boxer Angela Carini has finally broken her silence after a controversial match against Imane Khelif during the round of 16 in the women's 66kg boxing category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Carini withdrew from the match early, citing the power of Khelif's punches as something she had never experienced before. Her comments about Khelif's strength sparked a heated online debate, with some questioning whether Khelif should be allowed to compete in women's boxing.  This controversy grew because Khelif had previously been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to an unspecified eligibility test result. Despite the speculation, Khelif was allowed to compete in the Olympics, passing all required tests.  Photo: Angela Carini (Instagram) Five weeks after the match, Carini took to Instagram to share her thoughts. She posted a reflective message, stating, "Many times a person needs to close themselves in order to medit
Read More

Taylor Swift And Brittany Mahomes Sit Separately at Chiefs Game Amid Political Tensions

Image
Photo: Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes (Instagram) Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes were both at the Kansas City Chiefs game, but they didn’t sit together like they have in the past.  Swift was with Travis Kelce ’s mom, and Mahomes was in another suite with her daughter.  This happened as Mahomes faces backlash for showing support for Donald Trump on social media. Mahomes liked a post from Trump in August, which upset some people, including Swift’s fans. She later defended herself, saying people can have different opinions and still be kind.  Photo: Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes (Instagram) Trump even thanked Mahomes and her husband for supporting him. Swift, on the other hand, has been vocal in her support for Democrats in the past.  This has led to speculation about how the two women might handle their differences, especially since they used to be seen together at games. It’s unclear if their political views have affected their friendship, but they weren’t spotted together at this
Read More

How Fast Is Tyreek Hill? Miami Dolphins Star Challenges Olympic Champion

Image
Photo: Tyreek Hill (Instagram) Tyreek Hill , the Miami Dolphins wide receiver, is known for being the fastest player in the NFL . Nicknamed "Cheetah," Hill recently challenged Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles to a race. This bold challenge has fans wondering—just how fast is Tyreek Hill? In the 2023 NFL season, Hill reached a top speed of 23.24 miles per hour, making him the fastest player in the league. With such speed, Hill decided to take on Lyles, who ran the 100m in 9.79 seconds to win Olympic gold. Hill's personal best for the 100m is 10.19 seconds, though he once clocked 9.98 seconds with wind assistance. Despite being slower than Lyles, Hill is confident. Speaking on the show Up & Adams , Hill said, “I would beat Noah Lyles. Not by much, but I’d beat him. And when I do, I’ll wear a COVID mask to show I mean business.” Photo: Tyreek Hill (Instagram) This was a playful nod to Lyles, who revealed he had COVID during his 200m final . Lyles didn’t hold back in hi
Read More

Ex-NBA Star Joakim Noah Picks Angel Reese Over Caitlin Clark For Rookie of The Year

Image
Photo: Joakim Noah (Instagram) Former NBA All-Star Joakim Noah recently shared his pick for WNBA Rookie of the Year, and it’s Angel Reese over Caitlin Clark . Despite Clark's impressive stats, Noah explained why he prefers Reese during an interview at the U.S. Open. "I would say Angel Reese," Noah told Fox News Digital, adding that Reese's playing style reminds him of his own. While Clark leads in categories like points, assists, and shooting percentages, Reese stands out in rebounding, averaging 13.2 rebounds per game compared to Clark’s 5.8. Their teams have met four times this season, with Reese out-rebounding Clark each time. Photo: Joakim Noah (Instagram) Reese’s strong play has earned her support, including from Noah, who admits his Chicago bias—Reese plays for the Chicago Sky, and Noah played for the Chicago Bulls. However, Clark continues to make history, setting several WNBA records this season. Noah still praises Clark, calling her "a beast," but
Read More

Angel Reese Picks Her Top NBA Player – It's Not LeBron or Steph!

Image
Photo: Angel Reese (Instagram) Angel Reese , star player for the Chicago Sky, recently shared who her favorite NBA player is, and it’s not LeBron James or Stephen Curry . On her podcast, Unapologetically Angel , Reese revealed that her favorite player has always been Kevin Durant (KD). Reese, who grew up in the same area as Durant, said, "KD has been my favorite player since I was a kid. I love his mom, she comes out and supports the game." Some fans were surprised by her choice, as many thought she'd pick LeBron or Steph. Reese even addressed rumors about her and Durant, denying any romantic connection, saying, "I don’t even know how that became a thing." Photo: Angel Reese (Instagram) Angel’s podcast is part of Shaquille O’Neal’s The Big Podcast Network , where she joins other big names like Jalen Brunson and Udonis Haslem . The Chicago Sky recently ended a tough losing streak with a 92-78 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. Angel Reese played a big role, but
Read More

Tom Brady’s First Day As An NFL Broadcaster

Image
Photo: Tom Brady (Instagram) Tom Brady , the legendary quarterback for the New England Patriots, has taken on a new role. Instead of playing on the field, he’s now in the broadcast booth. On Sunday, Brady made his debut as a commentator for Fox Sports, working with Kevin Burkhardt. He was covering the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns. At 47 years old, Brady had practiced broadcasting during the offseason. But this was his first official game as a commentator. When Burkhardt introduced him on live TV, he said, "We say welcome to the broadcast booth. He’s Tom Brady, and I’m Kevin Burkhardt. And you’re a broadcaster, how about that?” Brady replied, “We’re here. It’s been quite a journey, but I love being your partner.” Photo: Tom Brady (Instagram) Brady's first comments as a broadcaster were about Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott , who had just signed a huge contract. "Dak signed the largest contract in NFL history. Now he’s gotta go out there and earn it
Read More

Travis Kelce's Team Denies Fake Breakup Document With Taylor Swift

Image
Photo: Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift (Instagram) Rumors are swirling about a possible breakup between NFL star Travis Kelce and pop icon Taylor Swift after a document with an exact split date started circulating online.  The document, said to be from Kelce’s PR firm, Full Scope PR, mentioned a breakup on September 28 and laid out a plan for handling media reactions. It was first shared on Reddit before spreading on social media. However, Full Scope PR has denied any involvement. They told The Daily Mail  the document is "completely fake" and not from their firm. They have even called in their lawyers to take action against whoever created the false document. Photo: Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift (Instagram) The document reportedly suggested key messages for the breakup, including "Respect and Privacy" and "Personal Growth." It also included an example of a public statement that Kelce and Swift would release, claiming the breakup was mutual and respectful. Travi
Read More

Bob Arum Names Three Fighters Who Can Beat Gervonta Davis

Image
Photo: Bob Arum, Gervonta Davis (Instagram) Gervonta Davis is known for his knockout power. Out of 30 fights, he’s stopped 28 opponents before the final bell. Only two fighters, German Meraz and Isaac Cruz , have gone the distance with him. Meraz did it in a four-round fight early in Davis' career, while Cruz managed to last the full fight despite Davis injuring his hand halfway through. Veteran boxing promoter, Bob Arum, believes there are three fighters who can beat Davis: Shakur Stevenson , Vasiliy Lomachenko , and Teofimo Lopez . In an interview, Arum praised Davis as an excellent fighter but said these three have what it takes to win against him.   Photo: Bob Arum (Instagram) Arum has promoted all three fighters in the past, though Stevenson recently signed with a different promoter. Stevenson seems likely to face Davis first, with plans to fight other top opponents before that happens. Lomachenko, who was in talks for a fight with Davis, has decided to take a break for the r
Read More

LeBron James Supports Son Bronny: 'Ignore The Haters'

Image
Photo: LeBron James (Instagram) LeBron James has sent a strong message of support to his son, Bronny James , who recently joined the Los Angeles Lakers. On Instagram, LeBron encouraged Bronny to block out all the "hate" and focus on his game as he prepares for his first season in the NBA. Bronny was picked in the second round of the NBA draft, 55th overall , by the Lakers. Many fans are talking about whether his famous father influenced this decision. Photo: LeBron James (Instagram) In his only season at USC, Bronny didn’t post impressive stats. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. However, he had health issues, including cardiac arrest before the season, which slowed him down. Despite this, Bronny was still a highly rated player coming out of high school. “F*ck all the hate/noise! You know your personal legend! THEY DON’T KNOW YOU!” - LeBron’s message to Bronny 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/H1hCt8eNgU — LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) September 4, 2024 Now, a
Read More

Kevin Durant Would Relegate The Dallas Cowboys From The NFL

Image
Photo: Kevin Durant (Instagram) Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant didn’t hesitate when asked which NFL team he would kick out of the league if he could. During an interview on the "Up & Adams" show with Kay Adams, Durant picked the Dallas Cowboys as the team he would relegate. “I just don’t like them,” Durant said. “I had to ask myself why I don’t like the Cowboys because I don’t hate any teams or players. I’m a fan of a lot of teams, but the Cowboys are the one team I can’t stand.” While the NFL doesn’t have relegation like some soccer leagues, Durant recently bought a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain , a top French soccer team. He’s familiar with the idea of relegation from his involvement in soccer. Photo: Kevin Durant (Instagram) Durant grew up in Washington, D.C., and has been a longtime fan of the Washington Commanders. His dislike for the Cowboys is partly because many people in D.C. root for them instead of their hometown team. Kevin Durant says seeeeee ya @dal
Read More