Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets’ center, expressed no regret for his altercation with Jaden McDaniels from the Minnesota Timberwolves during the closing seconds of Game 4 on Friday.
Although the Timberwolves secured a 112-96 win in Minneapolis, the game ended in chaos with both Jokic and Minnesota’s Julius Randle being ejected following a scuffle.
The incident unfolded when Jokic reacted to McDaniels making an uncontested layup as the game was nearly over, a move that provoked the Denver player to confront his opponent.
“I don’t regret it,” Jokic stated, “because he scored after everyone else had stopped playing.”
Jokic appeared puzzled by the controversy surrounding the incident.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has no remorse over his attack on Minnesota Timberwolves rival Jaden McDaniels in the final moments of Friday’s Game 4 defeat
Jokic (in white) attacked Jaden McDaniels following a last-second layup in Minneapolis
Nuggets and Timberwolves players work to separate Jokic, McDaniels and Julius Randle
“Come on, guys,” he remarked, “you saw what happened.”
And he wasn’t alone in his disgust. Nuggets coach David Adelman told reporters after the game he ‘didn’t like’ what McDaniels did.
‘The game was over,’ said Adelman, a former Timberwolves assistant whose late father once served as the head coach in Minnesota. ‘The game was conceded both ways. In 2026 that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore. That stuff happened in the ’80s, where teams would continue to score.
‘But that’s who [McDaniels] is,’ Adelman continued. ‘And so if that’s what they want to do, that’s what they want to do. It has nothing to do with the win or the loss.’
McDaniels saw things differently to say the least.
‘Clock still be running,’ McDaniels told reporters. ‘So I’m going to go score.’
McDaniels was also asked about being attacked by the 6ft 10in center who is generously listed at 284 pounds.
‘I don’t know what [Jokic] said, to be honest,’ said McDaniels, who stands 6ft 9in and 185 pounds. ‘I just seen someone who was big as hell.’
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels was criticized for his last-second layup
In addition to Jokic, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle was also tossed Friday
Meanwhile, Minnesota coach Chris Finch, himself a former Denver assistant, was happy to see his team’s fire at the end of a hard-fought victory. Impressively, the Timberwolves pulled out the win despite a season-ending Achilles injury to guard Donte DiVincenzo and a serious knee injury to franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards.
‘I’m proud of the guys stepping up and fighting for each other, literally and figuratively,’ Finch told reporters after the game. ‘These teams don’t like each other — it’s no secret. I mean, you play each other this many times when things are at stake … it’s just how it goes.’
Edwards is now out for at least a few weeks with a bone bruise on his knee. Fortunately, according to ESPN, he did avoid any ligament damage.
The Timberwolves can advance to the second round with a victory in Monday’s Game 5, while the Nuggets, trailing 3-1, need a win to advance to Game 6.
As for potential punishments, the NBA has not issued any suspensions yet.
Any player who left the bench to join the brawl is at risk of a ban, as is Jokic, but league rules give the Commissioner’s office leeway to determine an appropriate punishment, which could include fines or suspensions.
