Nuggets' Nikola Jokic tosses ball to Suns owner Mat Ishbia, shakes his hand before Game 5
Things got tense during Game 4 between Phoenix and Denver after Nikola Jokic got in a brief altercation with new Suns owner Mat Ishbia, an interaction that earned the Nuggets' star center a $25,000 fine.
In a funny moment before Game 5, though, Jokic and Ishbia appeared to publicly put any potential ill feelings behind them.
Jokic, truly living up to his "Joker" nickname, walked over to Ishbia while players were getting some work in on the Ball Arena court and tossed the Suns owner a basketball. They then exchanged a quick handshake and hug before the two-time NBA MVP walked off.
The pair's Game 4 altercation was touched off after the basketball landed in Ishbia's hands and he refused to give it back to Jokic, who wanted to do a quick inbound. The ball ended up flying further back into the stands and Jokic, who apparently didn't know who Ishbia was, put a forearm into Ishbia's chest. The former Michigan State player sold the shove with a tremendous flop. Jokic was assessed a technical foul and a different Suns fan was tossed from Phoenix's Footprint Center.
The NBA fined Jokic for "making improper contact with a spectator sitting courtside," but did not suspend him. Ishbia said that "suspending or fining anyone" for the incident "would not be right."
Jokic scored 53 points in Game 4, but Ishbia's Suns got the victory to even their series 2-2. In Game 5, Jokic recorded a triple-double as the Nuggets took a 3-2 series lead.
Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt, Paste BN