“In those moments you have to regulate your emotions. Suns coach Monty Williams also was taken aback.“I didn’t really think it was anything malicious,” Williams said. I’m still a little bit shocked that they called a Flagrant 2 and ejected the MVP on such a play.” “There’s marginal contact to Cameron Payne’s nose, I believe. “I didn’t feel like it warranted a Flagrant 2 ejection because he’s making a play on the ball,” Malone said. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he watched the play while the officials reviewed the call “and I just assumed it would be a Flagrant 1 at the worst.” Jokic finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. Officials assessed a double technical on Jokic and Booker and after a review, ejected the MVP after upgrading his foul to a Flagrant 2. I know he’s not a malicious player.” Nikola Jokic is held back from Devin Booker after a play that would result in Jokic’s ejection in Game 4 on Sunday night. I’ve played against the Joker multiple times. “I saw him go up to Cam after and apologize. It was tough, just defending my teammate. “It was just an emotional play,” Booker said. I say sorry if I did because I didn’t want to injure him or hit him in the head on purpose.”īooker took umbrage at the hard foul and got in the big man’s face before teammates and coaches pulled everyone apart. “I wanted to change the rhythm of the game, I wanted to give us some energy,” Jokic said. Jokic said he meant only to commit a hard foul on Payne to spark his team. Jokic was tossed with 3:52 left in the third and his Nuggets trailing 83-76 after his hard right-hand windmill swipe sent the ball flying but also caught Cameron Payne in the face. Paul scored 37 points and Booker added 34 in a physical game marred by MVP Nikola Jokic’s ejection for a flagrant foul in the third quarter. The Nuggets? Well, they went down fighting. The Phoenix Suns roared into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years Sunday night with a testy 125-118 victory over Denver that completed a four-game sweep. The ratings for the NBA Finals are shockingĭENVER (AP) - Chris Paul couldn’t miss. The missed call that nearly ruined the NBA Finalsīucks even NBA Finals with thrilling comeback win Chris Paul nemesis officiating crucial NBA Finals Game 6