The game between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz featured a bizarre box-out sequence on Monday, as Nikola Jokic and Keyonte George became entangled in a brief tussle. The unusual moment quickly drew reactions from fans online.
The two players got into an awkward scuffle in the paint, with Jokic appearing to lean his full weight onto George during the play. Underdog NBA shared a clip of the moment on X (formerly Twitter).
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“Keyonte George box out Nikola Jokic challenge,” Underdog NBA captioned the post.
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In the clip, Jokic appeared leaning on George, who attempted to draw a foul by going to the floor. Instead of getting the call, however, George was pinned beneath Jokic’s weight, prompting a wave of reactions from NBA fans.
A few supported the tussle, praising the guard for his effort to box out a big man.
However, many believed Jokic was wrong and should have been punished.
Despite the mixed reactions, the sequence stood out as one of the night’s more unusual moments. George not only held his ground against Jokic but also delivered an impressive performance overall, scoring 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
However, he was unable to guide the Jazz to victory as they fell 128–125.
Jokic finished with just 22 points, while Jamal Murray’s 45-point explosion ultimately powered Denver to the win.
The victory snapped the Nuggets’ two-game skid, and they will now return to Colorado for back-to-back home games against the LA Lakers and the New York Knicks.
Nikola Jokic brushes off question about teams being physical with him during recent games
Nikola Jokic remains one of the best players in the NBA and continues to be the focal point of Denver’s offense. However, in recent games, the Serbian star has been targeted physically by opposing teams.
Lu Dort was ejected on Friday after initiating a scuffle by bumping into him, and Keyonte George was seen getting into a brief tussle with him the following night.
Jokic was asked about teams being physical with him during his postgame interview on Monday, but downplayed the narrative.
“I mean, you know, I was trying not to force it and try to play the game, and I think it was okay,” Jokic said (Timestamp: 6:22). “We did a good job, you know, passing, scoring. We still scored 120 points. So, it’s a good night for us.”
Despite playing with a target on his back, Nikola Jokic remains a force to be reckoned with and balled out once again at Delta Center, recording a 22-point double-double.
Edited by Arian Kashyap
