Nikola Jokic was removed from the Denver Nuggets game against the Chicago Bulls shortly before halftime for unspecified reasons. It was particularly awful timing because it was Serbian Heritage Night in Chicago. Because Jokic is from Serbia, many Serbian fans came to watch him, which resulted in numerous boos when he was ejected early. Jokic spoke candidly about his dismissal after the game. While not bitter, he, too, thought that his acts did not deserve removal.
“I’m not sure what happened there.” That’s all there is to it. I’m simply glad we didn’t play this game in Serbia; it would have been incredibly interesting to see how we concluded. According to AltitudeTV’s X report, Jokic commented, “It was interesting.” “Some guys can say whatever they want. “I believe that sometimes what I say is not even technically (foul), but it is what it is.”
Jokic went on to say that his conduct deserved penalty but not ejection, but he didn’t expand further to avoid a potential fine.
“It is what it is … some guys can say whatever.” – Jokić#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/SIdcP880Rr
— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) December 13, 2023
“I crossed the line, but sometimes that word does not… I like my money, therefore I’m not going to say anything.”
While this is not Jokic’s first ejection, it is one of the strangest.
Refs’ Explanation for Nikola Jokic Ejection
Here’s the pool report on Nikola Jokic’s ejection. He was ejected for “profane language,” according to crew chief Mark Lindsay. pic.twitter.com/AajewopSnQ
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) December 13, 2023
Cody Westerlund from 670 The Score Chicago spoke with crew chief Mark Lindsay to inquire about the reason behind Nikola Jokic’s ejection. Lindsay offered a straightforward explanation for why Jokic was thrown out.
“To clarify, Jokic received an ejection after obtaining a single technical foul because he used profane language directed at the official, which, according to our criteria, justified an ejection,” Lindsay conveyed to Westerlund via Westerlund’s X account.
Westerlund emphasized twice the reason for Jokic’s ejection by stating, “Just to clarify, Jokic was ejected after receiving one technical foul.”
However, Westerlund refrained from providing specific details about what was said but elucidated on how Jokic’s words led to his ejection.
“We typically don’t publicly disclose the exact words spoken by a player, but the language used by Jokic met the criteria for an ejection.”
Referees typically do not dismiss players after one technical foul. A technical foul usually acts as a warning if they ever lose their cool with the referees. This time, Jokic had a heated exchange with a referee, which resulted in his dismissal.
Mike Malone’s Thoughts on Nikola Jokic’s Ejection
Despite Jokic’s unusual expulsion, the Nuggets won. After the game, head coach Mike Malone addressed why Jokic’s dismissal surprised him while also cracking a very humorous joke.
“During his postgame press conference with reporters, Malone jokingly mentioned, ‘He just felt the language that was used warranted an ejection. A one-tech ejection, which I was very shocked at. And when I heard what he said, I said, ‘I don’t understand the problem because when I grew up, that was a term of endearment,'” as reported by Darnell Mayberry’s X account.
With the game concluded and the Nuggets securing a victory over the Bulls despite losing the two-time NBA MVP, what’s happened is in the past. However, there’s a possibility that the league might reconsider the technical foul that was called or offer an explanation regarding Jokic’s ejection.”
Leave a Reply