Stephen A. Smith rips Suns owner Mat Ishbia for dramatic fall after being nudged by Nikola Jokic

Stephen A. Smith has laid into Mat Ishbia after the Phoenix Suns owner appeared to have flopped as Nikola Jokic tried to get the ball from him during a dead ball period in Game 4 of the second round Western Conference playoffs series between Denver and Phoenix. 

The 28-year-old Nuggets star received a technical and was fined $25k for the clash, despite not making contact with Ishbia, who later publicly pleaded with NBA officials to not suspend the center on Twitter. 

All of that being said, the Suns owner’s transparency in the aftermath of the incident wasn’t enough for him to steer clear of Smith’s criticism on Monday, just a day after his bump-in with Jokic. 

‘Mat Ishbia, bravo man, bravo,’ said the ESPN analyst on his own podcast, K[NO]W MERCY. ‘That was a flop that Vlade Divac couldn’t have pulled off. 

‘He clearly is taking acting lessons, I might go to him to learn how to flop.

Stephen A. Smith praised Suns owner Mat Ishbia for his ‘acting’ skills in Phoenix’s win, Sunday

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic got in a bust-up with Ishbia during a dead ball period in Game 4

‘I know you want to win desperately, but dam you going to try like that with Devin Booker and KD playing the way that he’s playing?

‘Why are you going out like that, man? Win at all costs, is that what you about?’

Smith, however, agreed with Ishbia’s stance on Jokic avoiding suspension, claiming that the Big Serbian didn’t know who the Suns owner was when he was only trying to retrieve the basketball. 

‘I don’t think Jokic knew who it was,’ Smith said. ‘I’m telling the NBA right now, do not suspend this man.’

Jokic will be freely able to play in Game 5 of the Suns-Nuggets series in Denver on Tuesday

For his part, the two-time league MVP was unapologetic after Sunday’s game.

‘The fan put the hand on me first,’ Jokic said. ‘I thought the league was supposed to protect us. Maybe I am wrong. I know who he is, but he is a fan…

‘Isn’t he?’

Since then, the NBA has agreed to allow Jokic to compete in Game 5, which will be played in Denver on Tuesday night. The series is tied at two a piece. 

Jokic scored 53 points for the Nuggets in Game 4 but that didn’t prove to be enough, as Denver was still narrowly beaten by the Suns, 129-124.