標籤: Dorts

There was another tense moment between Nikola Jokic and Luguentz Dort following the Denver Nuggets’ heartbreaking 129-126 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, courtesy of a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander game-winner.

Dort accidentally slapped the Nuggets star in the face while trying to steal a screen from Jokic. Jokic then fell to the ground and remained there for a long time and officials eventually called a flagrant foul on the Thunder wing.

What made this conversation so interesting was the fact that Dort had also blatantly fouled Jokic in their previous matchup. No Nuggets fan will soon forget how Dort intentionally headed back in Jokic’s direction in an attempt to knock him down, sparking a near-all-out brawl between the Northwest Division rivals.

But after the game, Jokic did not believe that unlike in the past, Dort had crossed the line that time.

“No, (he didn’t cross the line),” Jokic said after the game, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “It was over from last time.”

Jokic is not a player to hold grudges and he certainly did not do so against Dort. Considering how heated the games between the Thunder and Nuggets are, it’s all part of competing against the best.

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic holds no grudge against Lu Dort

Dort drew a lot of criticism after his flagrant foul on Jokic in the Thunder’s win over the Nuggets on February 27. But he apologized for hitting Jokic in the face this time, and unlike last time, it was very unintentional and an unfortunate consequence of his attempt to get on the big screen.

The Nuggets star is letting bygones be bygones be the way to move forward, especially if they are to lock in and really focus on getting over the Thunder’s hump.

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.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed Lou Dort’s ejection in Friday’s 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. Gilgeous-Alexander could see the Thunder in overtime after leading Oklahoma City with 36 points and nine assists. Head coach Mark Daigneault shut SGA out for the night after logging 34 minutes in his first game back from an abdominal injury.

Gilgeous-Alexander responded to Dort after discussing the plan the Thunder had made for their first game back from injury. ejection in the fourth trimester.

“They’re obviously a high-level team. We’re a high-level team. We’ve seen each other a lot over the last few years. Might be a little more into the game because we know the opponent. But yeah, it was fun. It was good out there. That’s how basketball is at the end of the season — it’s so physical. So, it’s nice to get one of those in the regular season.

“As far as scrimmages go, that’s usually how it happens. Something happens, one team roars, the other team roars. Lu was ejected. Lu is not that kind of guy – Lu is trying to go out there and win. I didn’t see what happened.”

SGA on Lou Dort’s ejection for scuffling with Nikola Jokic: “Lou’s not that type of guy – Lu is trying to go out there and win.

I didn’t see what happened” pic.twitter.com/dJReEmNCHn

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

As Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic began to return to the floor, Lu Dort checked the kneeling All-Star center, resulting in him falling and landing on Lu’s face. Just then, Thunder center Jaylin Williams intervened and a scuffle broke out between Williams and Jokic. Upon review, Dort was hit by Flagrant-2.

Lou Dort made an absolutely dirty play on Nikola Jokic.

There’s no place for that in the NBA.pic.twitter.com/Ft4z5QQwtu

– Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) 28 February 2026

Both centers earned double technical fouls.

Why Mark Daigneault sat out SGA during overtime in Thunder win

Head coach Mark Daigneault discusses Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Friday’s hard-fought overtime win. Although Gilgeous-Alexander did not play in overtime for the Thunder, Daigneault had a perfectly good explanation as to why.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

Daigneault concluded, “We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

The Thunder will face the Mavericks on Sunday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Following Friday’s 127-121 win in overtime, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave his honest opinion on Lou Dort’s fourth quarter ejection for a scuffle with Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic. The two were forced to separate, which led to a physical altercation between Thunder centers Jaylin Williams and Jokic. Both centers received double technical fouls, while Dort’s night ended in the fourth quarter.

Daigneault addressed Dort after the victory fourth trimester ejection Coming off of their seven-game series in the Western Conference Semifinals, he reminded reporters how familiar his Thunder team is to 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.”

Jaylin Williams and Nikola Jokic just went here to OKC.

Both could have been ejected after Williams came to the defense of Lou Dort. The fight is still under review pic.twitter.com/1zxS2glQJT

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

One could argue that Nikola Jokic took his frustration out on Lou Dort’s lead-2 layup on Williams, who defended his teammate, as most centers in the NBA do. This likely played into the referee’s decision to keep Jokic in the game, causing him and Jaylin to be slapped with a double technical foul.

Daigneault’s only hope is that if the situation were reversed, Jokic would be heading to the locker room because of a major-2.

“I will say this: If J-Will is running upfield and slips, we expect a flagrant -2 from this point forward. That’s all,” Daigneault said. “If that’s the precedent, if it becomes a malicious game, and Major-2 is the line in the sand on that, then we would expect that if it’s J-Will. We would expect that if it’s anyone. And if that’s the case, we’re good.”

Mark Daigneault’s honest opinion on Lu Dort’s ejection after scuffling with Nikola Jokic: “I will say this: If J-Will is running the floor and slips up, we expect a flagrant -2 from this point forward.

That is all.” pic.twitter.com/HFTcdINFdN

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Williams finished with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block off the bench before closing out the Thunder’s victory in overtime.

Mark Daigneault missing overtime on Thunder’s SGA

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault sat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in overtime of Friday’s win against the Nuggets. Due to an abdominal injury that caused him to miss the Thunder’s last nine games, Gilgeous-Alexander was on a one-minute ban that went on unannounced before the defending champions’ showdown against the Nuggets.

Daigneault explained what was a factor in the Thunder decision Gilgeous-Alexander was benched after the fourth quarter.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

“We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

Mark Daigneault on SGA sitting out in OT: “He’s coming off a 24-day injury. Getting back to playing. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to keep him at a certain point in terms of minutes.

“We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein]” pic.twitter.com/WjoOQwiwO9

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander’s 36 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals led to a 16-point comeback by the Thunder in the second half before the defending champions won in overtime without their reigning MVP.