Despite what Sunday night’s altercation might have suggested, Suns owner Mat Ishbia does not have any bad blood toward Nikola Jokic.
Jokic was issued a technical foul for “deliberately” making contact with Ishbia in the second quarter of the Western Conference semifinal Game 4 between Phoenix and Denver. The Nuggets superstar was in the crowd at Footprint Center where he was trying to retrieve the basketball, and he eventually forearm-shoved Ishbia once he was swarmed by a sea of bodies. Jokic after the Suns’ series-evening win also stressed it was Ishbia who initiated the physical contact.
Ishbia, who officially purchased the Suns back in December, assured that he was “fine” after the ordeal and was mostly concerned about the second half of the game. The former Michigan State basketball player also went to bat for Jokic via Twitter on Monday morning.
“Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!” Ishbia tweeted. “That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last night’s incident would not be right. I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!”
In lockstep with Ishbia on that opinion is Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who thought it was “crazy” that Jokic received a technical for the incident.
The best-of-seven series will be back at Ball Arena on Tuesday when Phoenix and Denver meet for Game 5.
