Late in the third quarter of Sunday’s Game 4 against the Suns, Nuggets center and newly crowned league MVP Nikola Jokić was ejected after being issued a flagrant 2 foul for recklessly swiping for the ball and hitting Phoenix guard Cameron Payne in the face.
The foul sparked a confrontation between the two teams, with both sides needing to be separated.
Jokić’s foul came as the Suns were in the midst of a 12-5 run, extending their lead from one to eight in fewer than four minutes. It followed a missed shot by Jokić, who appeared to be frustrated with officials for not calling a foul.
Jokić finished the game with 22 points and 11 rebounds on 9-for-17 shooting, with four assists and a block. The Suns led by eight at halftime and by 13 through three quarters, shooting a combined 54% from the field and 42.1% on three-point attempts. Phoenix also shot a perfect 20-for-20 from the free throw line.
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