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WATCH: Nikola Jokic and Mat Ishbia Interact Before Nuggets vs. Suns Game 5

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic embraced Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia prior to Game 5

Joey Linn

WATCH: Nikola Jokic and Mat Ishbia Interact Before Nuggets vs. Suns Game 5
WATCH: Nikola Jokic and Mat Ishbia Interact Before Nuggets vs. Suns Game 5 /
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Following their scuffle in Game 4, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia shared a positive interaction prior to Game 5. Tossing Ishbia a ball before the game, Jokic made light of the situation, and embraced the Suns owner:

Ishbia certainly helped diffuse the situation when he sent out a Tweet the next morning that read, "Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far! That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last nights incident would not be right. I have alot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!"

It was an unfortunate situation, but the two sides have clearly moved beyond it. Jokic was fined $25,000 by the NBA, and the league released this statement on the incident:

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been fined $25,000 for making improper contact with a spectator sitting courtside, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Phoenix Suns Governor Mat Ishbia came into possession of the game ball when it bounced into his hands following a play near his seat, and Jokic made contact with Ishbia in an attempt to take the game ball away and immediately after when the ball flew further back into the crowd. The incident, for which Jokic received a technical foul, occurred with 2:36 remaining in the second quarter of the Nuggets' 129-124 loss to the Suns in Game 4 of their conference semifinals playoff series on May 7 at Footprint Center.

Leaving the incident in the past, Jokic and Ishbia embraced before Game 5 in Denver.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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