On May 9, Beijing time, Suns boss Matt Ishbia updated social media and officially responded to Jokic's incident of pushing himself down in the G4 game. He said he had great respect for Jokic and believed he should not be suspended or fined. Subsequently, Woj reported that the NBA fined Jokic $25,000 and would not be suspended. NBA officials also released a fine, and Jokic was fined for improper contact with fans on the sidelines.
In the second quarter of the G4 game, the Sun's Okogie rushed into the crowd and the ball bounced into Ishbea's hands. Ishbia caught the ball and the fans helped Okogi stand up. Jokic tried to snatch the ball from Ishbea, who was reluctant to give it to him. After the ball was freed, Ishbeia's hand touched Jokic's back, and Jokic's elbow pushed Ishbia down. The referee gave Jokic a technical foul.
ESPN contacted NBA officials on Sunday night to ask if Jokic would be suspended or fined, and the NBA later revealed the results of the penalty. Suns boss Ishbia has said directly that Jokic should not be suspended or fined.
Ishbiah wrote: "The Suns' victory last night was great, the excitement of the series so far is amazing, and this should have been its only story! If it's not right to ban or fine anyone for what happened last night, I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don't want to see that happen. I'm excited for Game 5, come on Suns! ”
In this G4 game, Jokic hit a personal playoff career high with 53 points and 11 assists. The 53 points also set a Nuggets' all-time scoring record in playoff team history. Jokic is also the first center in NBA history to score 50+10 points and assists in the playoffs.
Speaking about the technical foul after the game, Jokic explained: "It was the fans who put their hands on me first, and I think the league should protect us. Maybe I'm wrong. I know who he is, but he's also a fan. Isn't it? ”
Nuggets coach Malone also supported Jokic, saying after the game: "Jokic just wanted to get the ball, but that fan held on tightly, like he wanted to be a part of the game. ”
Suns owner Ishbia is 1.78 meters tall and has played NCAA games in Michigan, but is just a trick role, averaging 0.6 points and 0.3 rebounds per game in his career. According to Forbes, Ishbea's current total assets are $7.1 billion.