Nuggets Remain Upset With Thunder Over Lu Dort's Foul On Nikola Jokic, Response From Daigneault
The Denver Nuggets remain frustrated with the Oklahoma City Thunder two days after Lu Dort's flagrant foul on Nikola Jokic. A team source says Denver is particularly displeased with Thunder coach Mark Daigneault's post-game remarks following Friday's contest.
Nuggets coach David Adelman addressed the incident Sunday before Denver's home game against Minnesota, defending Jokic's uncharacteristic emotional response.
"Yeah, I think it is who he is," said Adelman. "He's more of a measured person throughout the season - I think most people are. They're more productive if they're measured. But there's a point where we play these games, and what he deals with nightly, anybody (would) react that way. For Dort to take that shot - and then I guess it wasn't that big of a deal from their standpoint, how they looked at it - is ridiculous.
"That was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lu Dort is a great player, and that's not what I've seen him do before. But at some point, you have to stand up for yourself, and the team does as well. They're a great team. That game was what it was. But yeah, Nikola, that's who he is, man. You can't have the success he's had and not be that competitive. He has emotions inside of him that he keeps in check, but the guy is very capable and very willing to emotionally respond."
Dort was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected. Daigneault appeared surprised by the ruling after the game.
"I will say this: If (Jaylin Williams) is running up the floor and gets tripped, we expect a flagrant 2 from this point forward," said Daigneault. "That's all. If that's the precedent, if that becomes a malicious play and flagrant 2 is the line in the sand on that, we would expect that if it's (Williams). We would expect that if it's anybody. And if that's the case, we're good."
Asked about Adelman's remarks before Oklahoma City's road game in Dallas on Sunday, Daigneault declined to address them directly but expressed respect for Denver.
"We have respect top to bottom. We certainly have respect for Jokic, (Aaron) Gordon, (Jamal) Murray, just because those guys have endured together for so long and had so much success, but we have respect for the staff (too)," said Daigneault. "I mentioned that last year after the playoffs. ... I said it the other night: The teams make each other better. It's a great matchup because of that, and that's all I'll say about that."
Jokic addressed the play Friday night, calling Dort's action unnecessary.
"There is no such thing - I think there's not supposed to be those things on a basketball floor," said Jokic. "So, it was just an unnecessary move and a necessary reaction by me."
The two teams meet again March 9 in Oklahoma City.
