Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman has not defended All-Star Nikola Jokic for his reaction to Lou Dort's headed 2 in Friday's 127-121 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his postgame press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault never criticized Dort for his hard-2. Instead, Daigneault hoped that the play would be called the same way if it was reversed, with no malicious intent.
Jokic retaliated by getting in Dort's face. After this, a scuffle started between Thunder center Jaylin Williams and players of both the teams had to separate. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Edelman understands why Jokic reached his peak during the fourth quarter of the game, when tension was high between the Thunder and Nuggets.
"Yeah, I think that's him," Edelman said. "He's a more measured guy throughout the season — I think most guys are. If they're measured they're more productive. But there's a point where we play these games, and he tackles anybody on the night [would] React that way. For Dort to take that shot – and then I guess it was no big deal from his perspective, how he saw it – is ridiculous.
"He was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven't seen him do that before. But at some point, you've got to stand up for yourself, and so does the team. They're a great team. That game itself was like that. But, yeah, Nicola, he's who he is, man. You can't have the success he's had and you can't be as competitive. He's got emotions that he keeps in control, but he's a guy emotionally. Very capable and very willing to provide feedback."
For this, Lou Dort was thrown out. pic.twitter.com/6JO8h2odv8
- SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 28 February 2026
Apparently, the Nuggets' David Edelman is not happy with how the Thunder responded to Dort's foul after the game. When Jokic was asked about it by a reporter during media availability after the game, he didn't hold back.
"There's no such thing - I think things like that shouldn't happen on a basketball floor," Jokic said after the game. “So, it was an unnecessary move by me and a necessary reaction.”
The Thunder will host the Nuggets again on March 9 at Paycom Center.
Mark Daigneault's opinion on the ejection of Thunder's Lou Dort
After Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called Lou Dort's flagrant 2 on Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic uncharacteristic of him, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he didn't see the play that made Jokic angry. Nuggets head coach David Edelman would probably have a different opinion. Officials deemed Dort's play beyond the reach of the Nuggets' MVP candidate, ruling out the veteran guard after an extensive review.
After the game, Daigneault chalked up Dort's play to the Thunder guard's competitive nature amid the fourth quarter of a physical matchup against the Nuggets.
"That was a weird game. These are two teams that played each other in a seven-game series. We're in the same division. We've played each other 100 times," Daigneault said. "They know our playbook. We know their playbook. It is what it is. It's going to be an imperfect game, and things escalate like that sometimes. I know Lu [Dort]. I know [Nikola] Jokic.
"I know J-Will. I don't think anybody is trying to hurt anybody; they're just great competitors. It just ended up being over. I think it was nothing more than that."
The Thunder will face the Mavericks on the road on Sunday.
