Dort apologizes to Jokic after second late flagrant foul in two weeks
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Luguentz Dort said he sought out Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic on Monday night to apologize for a fourth-quarter flagrant foul, the second time in 10 days he has been assessed for a high-profile infraction against the two-time MVP.
“I was just caught up in the competition,” Dort told ESPN after the Thunder’s 129-126 victory at Paycom Center. “I shook his hand, told him ‘great game’ and apologized.”
With 1:12 remaining and the Thunder leading by seven, Dort swung his left arm while fighting through a Jokic screen on the left wing and struck Jokic in the face. After video review, officials ruled the play a Flagrant 1, awarding Denver two free throws and possession. Jokic split the free throws, then drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing in-bounds play to cut the deficit to three.
“I didn’t mean to hit him,” Dort said. “My arms go everywhere when I’m getting over screens. I didn’t think it was a Flagrant 1 because ‘unnecessary’ implies intent, and there was none.”
Jokic downplayed the incident. Asked whether the hit crossed a line, he replied simply, “No.” His response contrasted with the Feb. 27 meeting in Denver, when Dort tripped Jokic away from the ball, sparking a brief skirmish and a Flagrant 2 ruling. After that game, Jokic labeled the trip “unnecessary,” and Nuggets interim coach David Adelman called it “malicious.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said before Monday’s tip-off that he regretted his calm postgame reaction on Feb. 27, admitting his comments were “insensitive” while he was “protecting my team.”
Monday’s flagrant turned into a momentum swing for Denver. The Nuggets tied the game with 8.5 seconds left on a Jokic 3-pointer combined with an away-from-the-play foul on Jamal Murray, setting up two Murray free throws. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a step-back 3 from the right wing with 2.7 seconds to go, delivering Oklahoma City its third win in as many games against Denver this season.
“I’m done talking about it,” Adelman said when asked postgame about Dort’s latest foul. “His arm flailed and caught him in the face. That’s all.”
The division rivals meet once more on April 10, two days before the regular season ends.
Source: ESPN
