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Nikola JokiÄ looked so weak for confronting Jaden McDaniels over unwritten rule
TL;DR
Nikola JokiÄ confronted Jaden McDaniels after a layup in the final seconds of Game 4, leading to both players being ejected. JokiÄ's reaction was criticized as a sign of poor sportsmanship following the Nuggets' loss to the Timberwolves.
Key points
- Nikola JokiÄ confronted Jaden McDaniels during Game 4.
- McDaniels took an uncontested layup at the end of the game.
- Both players were ejected following the confrontation.
Nikola JokiÄJaden McDanielsDenver NuggetsMinnesota Timberwolves
If you don't want the opposing team stunting on you at the end of an embarrassing playoff loss, simply play better during the actual game. Someone needs to relay this message to three-time NBA MVP Nikola JokiÄ, who embarrassed himself and his Denver Nuggets in the closing moments of their Game 4 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Let's fast forward to the final seconds. After both teams unofficially stopped playing at the end of another convincing Timberwolves victory to go up 3-1 in this first-round series, McDaniels decided he wasn't done running it up on Denver. He still took an uncontested layup as the clock ran out. This decision irked JokiÄ, who felt McDaniels was breaking an "unwritten rule" by continuing to play even though everyone on the court had turned off the jets.
JokiÄ responded by losing his composure. This, after the Nuggets had already melted down as a team. He ran all the way to the other end of the court to confront McDaniels, looking like the biggest sore loser in the process:
Jaden McDaniels scores the layup instead of running out the clock, Nikola Jokic runs all the way from the other side of the court to face him, bumps him, as McDaniels grabs Jokic's jersey, a kerfuffle ensues.
Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle get ejected from the game
I haven'tā¦ pic.twitter.com/uxgjQdGAHp
ā MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 26, 2026
On the one hand, yes, McDaniels is a bit lame for actually taking that layup. Usually, no one does that. On the other hand, really, that's what JokiÄ is going to be upset about? Come on now.
The Nuggets and Timberwolves are in a rivalry, and that is what players involved in a rivalry do when they embarrass the opposition. If JokiÄ didn't want McDaniels taking a meaningless free shot at the rim, he and the rest of the Nuggets should've played better and harder enough to win. Then, it never happens in the first place. If JokiÄ had played better in the first 99 percent of the game, he wouldn't have gotten this emotional about someone disrespecting him or his teammates.
Instead, JokiÄ looks like a massive sore loser losing his cool because he knows that he got punked in front of the entire basketball world.
Q&A
What happened between Nikola JokiÄ and Jaden McDaniels in Game 4?
In the closing moments of Game 4, Nikola JokiÄ confronted Jaden McDaniels after McDaniels took an uncontested layup, resulting in both players being ejected.
Why did Nikola JokiÄ get upset with Jaden McDaniels?
JokiÄ was upset because he believed McDaniels violated an unwritten rule by continuing to play aggressively despite the game being effectively over.
What was the outcome of the confrontation between JokiÄ and McDaniels?
The confrontation led to both Nikola JokiÄ and Julius Randle being ejected from the game after a brief altercation.