Nikola Jokic scores 53 and tussles with Suns owner during Nuggets’ playoff loss

Denver star Nikola Jokic was given a technical foul on Sunday evening after a clash with Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia during the Suns’ 129-124 playoff victory over the Nuggets.

In the second quarter Suns guard Josh Okogie stumbled into the seats while chasing the ball. Ishbia grabbed the ball and Jokic tried to retrieve it. Shortly after the ball flew back into the seats, Jokic and Ishbia made contact. Predictably the 6ft 11in, 285lb Jokic got the better of the tussle and Ishbia was knocked backwards into his seat. It was unclear if Jokic saw Ishbia clearly or was even aware of who he was.

Officials consulted with each other for a few minutes before assessing Jokic a technical. Ishbia told the Associated Press at half-time that he was “fine” and was more concerned with the outcome of the game.

The 43-year-old Ishbia is the billionaire CEO of mortgage lender United Wholesale Mortgage. He played basketball at Michigan State as a walk-on, where he won a national title. In February he bought the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for $4bn from Robert Sarver, whose regime became embroiled in controversy. The purchase was the largest for an NBA team in history, eclipsing the $3.3bn Joe Tsai paid for the Brooklyn Nets and the Barclays Center in 2019.

“Basketball is at the core of my life, from my high school days as a player to the honor of playing for Coach Izzo and winning a national title at Michigan State University,” Ishbia said when he completed his purchase.

Jokic is a two-time NBA MVP and at 28 is already considered one of the league’s greatest European players of all time. The incident did little to cool Jokic’s performance – he scored 53 points and made 11 assists.

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 36 points each for Phoenix. The Suns’ victory tied the series at 2-2. Game 5 is on Tuesday night in Denver.

In Sunday’s other game, James Harden scored a go-ahead three-pointer in overtime as the Philadelphia 76ers tied their playoff series at 2-2 with the Boston Celtics.

“I just want to win,” Harden said. “Today was do-or-die for us.”

Harden said he was inspired by John Hao, who was paralyzed in a shooting at Michigan State University earlier this year. The two have struck up a friendship, and Harden invited Hao to the game as his guest.

“He’s strong, he’s bouncing back, he’s recovering very well,” Harden said after the game. “I feel like it’s my job to give him that light, that smile that he deserves. Hopefully today was one of those days where he can smile.”