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“Come on Jonas Valanciunas, we can do better”: Jusuf Nurkic calls out Grizzlies center on hard foul over Sacramento forward Chimezie Metu

Samir Mehdi
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“Come on Jonas Valanciunas, we can do better”: Jusuf Nurkic calls out Grizzlies center on hard foul over Sacramento forward Chimezie Metu

Jusuf Nurkic went to work on Jonas Valanciunas after reports that Kings forward Metu had suffered a wrist injury because of him.

Things got heated during Kings vs Grizzlies two nights back. The two Western Conference teams faced off with young point guards Ja Morant and De’Aaron Fox taking center stage. 

The Grizzlies bested the Kings quite comfortably, 124-110, but did so with a couple of hiccups along the way. With about 3:20 left in the 4th quarter, Kings forward Chimezie Metu drove down the lane hammered one home over Memphis big man Jonas Valanciunas. 

However, instead of coming down immediately, Metu hung on the rim and sat on Jonas’s shoulders for a couple seconds. Valanciunas took this as an obvious sign of disrespect and slammed the young Kings player to the ground.

The Kings later revealed that Metu had fractured his wrist due to Jonas Valanciunas’s actions. 

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Jusuf Nurkic reacts to Jonas Valanciunas and Chimezie Metu situation

The aggressive reaction from Jonas warranted many on social media to put forth their opinion on if his actions were justified. Some say Metu deserved what he got because he was blatantly disrespecting Valanciunas by sitting on shoulders following the dunk. Others claim it was unnecessary and Jonas should’ve walked away from it. 

Whatever, Metu did not deserve to have his hand broken in the process. Portland TrailBlazers star Jusuf Nurkic, who is also on the med as of right now, disapproved of the former Raptor’s actions. 

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“Come on Jonas, bro, we can do better than this. Metu, he’s a baller.” Jusuf Nurkic has always had a certain temperament to him when on the court. So, given the situation, Nurk might’ve acted similar to the way Jonas did. 

Kings head coach Luke Walton also came out in disapproval of the play saying, “That was a dangerous play. He hooked him by the leg and tried to throw him down, so I didn’t understand how that, in today’s NBA, is not considered a flagrant foul.” 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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