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‘You hate to see it’: Ex-NBA player Chandler Parsons claims Nikola Jokic’s shove on Suns owner Mat Ishbia will stir a racial debate after the Nuggets star avoided suspension
Ex-NBA player Chandler Parsons has sensationally claimed that he expects Nikola Jokic’s shove on Suns owner Mat Ishbia to spark a racial debate within basketball after the Nuggets star wasn’t handed a suspension by the league.
Jokic was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals Nuggets-Suns matchup on Sunday when the center tried to snatch the ball back from Ishbia, who sat courtside, though he wasn’t suspended for Game 5 despite accepting a $25k fine.
The mini-fracas began when Suns guard Josh Okogie crashed into the seats while trying to save a loose ball. He landed in a group of fans on the baseline that included the Suns owner, who held on to the basketball.
Jokic was trying to get the ball quickly – apparently so the Nuggets could start getting into their offensive possession – when he attempted to grab the ball away from Ishbia. The ball flew backward into the crowd, and then Ishbia was knocked backward by Jokic’s elbow in what ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith described as a ‘flop’.
‘Get ready for the race card if he does not get suspended, because I don’t think he’s gonna get suspended,’ said Parsons – a former Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks forward.
Ex-NBA pro Chandler Parsons claims Nikola Jokic’s shove on Mat Ishbia will stir a racial debate
Jokic was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter of Game 4 after confronting Ishbia
‘And there’s gonna be a lot of things (like), ”If this were Draymond [Green], he would be suspended.” If this were Dillon Brooks…anybody with a worse reputation or past is gonna get suspended.’
‘You hate to see it.’
Suspensions have been a hot topic in this year’s NBA postseason, especially after Draymond Green stomped on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis during their first-round series with the Golden State Warriors.
Dillon Brooks was ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin in the Grizzlies-Lakers first round matchup and didn’t face suspension though many NBA fans were calling for one at the time.
On his Twitter account on Monday, Ishbia praised his team’s performance and urged no further disciplinary action for Jokic.
‘Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!’ Ishbia posted. ‘That should be and is the only story. Suspending or fining anyone over last nights incident would not be right. I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don´t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!’
Jokic defended his actions after a game in which he had 53 points and 11 assists.
‘The fan put the hand on me first,’ Jokic explained. ‘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?’
Suspensions are a hot topic in this year after Draymond Green stomped on Domantas Sabonis
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone agreed.
‘That’s not an owner in the stands. He´s a fan,’ he said Monday. ‘We don’t designate who’s in the stands. I just felt after watching that whole incident, Nikola is just trying to get the ball. I felt the embellishment was almost comical, from my standpoint.’
‘I was hoping they’d give him a flopping charge,’ he added. ‘That would probably be the only fine I could imagine, but I have no idea.’
Suns standout Kevin Durant figured the incident and resulting fine would be a story, but was glad it’s been resolved.
‘None of that can get in the way,’ Durant said after practice Monday night at Ball Arena. ‘We can just focus on basketball.’
