$25,000 fine for Nikola Jokic, who will be able to play against the Suns | Sports

The Serbian Nikola Jokic, center of the Denver Nuggets, has been fined $ 25,000 by the NBA for his clash on Sunday with the owner of the Phoenix Suns, Mat Ishbia, but he was not punished with a suspension, so he can play this Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday. Joe Dumars, the NBA’s chief operating officer, decided to fine Jokic for “untimely contact” with Ishbia, the league said in a statement.

Jokic, NBA MVP in 2021 and 2022, faced a possible suspension from the NBA, something that would have prevented him from playing a momentous game for the balance of a series that sees the Nuggets and Suns tied 2-2. The events date back to the second period of Game 4 of the series, when a fumble ended up out of bounds and into the hands of Suns owner Ishbia. Jokic approached the front row to catch the ball and get it out as soon as possible, but Ishbia held it, so the Serbian, with a surprised gesture, pushed the owner of Phoenix slightly with his elbow.

Ishbia conspicuously exaggerated the contact and sat down in his chair without consequence, while another spectator, who would eventually be expelled from the pavilion, pushed Jokic. Jokic took a technical foul after the referees reviewed what happened. This Monday, Ishbia posted a message on his Twitter account in which he considered that “suspending or fining people for the events last night would be wrong.” “I have a lot of respect for Jokic and I don’t want to see any of that (penalties),” he said.

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