In what was a bizarre moment, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic briefly became entangled during Game 4.
Phoenix wing Josh Okogie wound up in the stands while diving for a loose ball. Ishbia, who purchased the Suns for $4 billion earlier this year, somehow ended up with the ball in his hands while sitting courtside in Phoenix.
Jokic attempted to secure the ball to try to gain a 5-4 advantage from the side out of bounds as Okogie was still on the floor. Ishbia, however, would not let go of the ball and interrupted the flow of the game.
Phoenix Suns Owner Mat Ishbia getting into it with Jokic and selling the chicken wing. Absolute cinema.https://t.co/pU9Em4dJRC pic.twitter.com/AOZY5ZZPnv
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 8, 2023
Jokic, who thought he was dealing with a fan not the owner of the Suns, then tried with a bit more force.
After the big man swung his elbow, Ishbia fell over — though many fans felt he was flopping for dramatic effect.
Should Nikola Jokic receive more punishment for the elbow on Suns owner Mat Ishbia?
Or did Ishbia flop? 🧐pic.twitter.com/pvqagkNc83
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 8, 2023
Based on the rulebook, the NBA could potentially choose to suspend Jokic for his role in the altercation.
But as my colleague Charles Curtis wrote earlier today, that would be a mistake. Ishbia, who would potentially have the most to gain from a potential suspension for Jokic, agreed.
Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!
That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last nights incident would not be right. I have alot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) May 8, 2023
Ishbia tweeted that “suspending or fining anyone” due to the incident “would not be right” because he has so much respect for Jokic.
Hopefully, the league office considers Ishbia’s comments when weighing the potential for discipline for Jokic. It would be a tremendous mistake to keep the two-time MVP off the court during such a pivotal moment in the series.
