“NBA Don’t Be Stupid And Mat Ishbia, Don’t Flop”: Charles Barkley And Ernie Defend Nikola Jokic Amid Suspension Talks After Scuffle With Suns Owner

Samir Mehdi | 08/05/2023
“NBA Don’t Be Stupid And Mat Ishbia, Don’t Flop”: Charles Barkley And Ernie Defend Nikola Jokic Amid Suspension Talks After Scuffle With Suns Owner

Despite Devin Booker and Kevin Durant dragging the Phoenix Suns back into their series against the Denver Nuggets by combining for 72 points in Game 4, Nikola Jokic has been the talk of the day. His 53 points is the most by a Nuggets player in Playoff franchise history and the technical foul he was assessed for his contact with Mat Ishbia at the sidelines has people like Charles Barkley debating over his ability to play in Game 5.

In the final minutes of the second quarter of Game 4, Jokic went towards the sidelines in what seemed like a fairly normal moment to retrieve the ball to resume play. The ball was being held onto by Suns owner, Mat Ishbia. He tried to get the ball back and in doing so, made contact with Mat, leading to him hitting the deck.

‘The Joker’ was assessed a technical foul on the play but wasn’t ejected. He would continue to play on and he might’ve taken this tech personally given that he dropped 18 in the 3rd quarter alone.

Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson on the Nikola Jokic play

Charles Barkley has showcased his love for Nikola Jokic on several occasions. Earlier tonight he stated that the man who didn’t have Jokic in his top 5 for the MVP ballot is a ‘damn idiot’. Now, when talking about what may be the reprucussions of Nikola’s play against Mat, Chuck and Ernie let out a passionate rant.

“I hope the NBA doesn’t do anything stupid,” said Chuck on ‘Inside the NBA’. Ernie chimed in by saying, “I’m with you on that one.”

“It’s unfortunate, it happened, it’s over with, and I just hope they don’t do anything stupid,” continued Charles. “Neither of you guys [Nikola and Mat] do it again, okay? Mat Ishbia, don’t hold onto the ball. Joker, don’t make him flop,” said Ernie.

Talks within the Nuggets organization have reportedly started regarding whether or not Jokic will be allowed to play in Game 5 or if he’ll be suspended. Seems as though Chuck most certainly doesn’t agree with suspending the 2x MVP.

Michael Malone wasn’t happy with the Nikola Jokic tech

Michael Malone could not fathom the fact that it was Nikola Jokic who was assessed a technical foul after his contact with Mat Ishbia. He called it ‘crazy’ and said he ‘didn’t give a sh*t’ about whether it was a common fan or the Suns owner.

Jokic also expressed his distaste for the way the situation was handled as he said that he was touched by a fan and called out the NBA for not protecting their players.

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Charles Barkley Ernie Johnson Nikola Jokic Nuggets Suns

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Samir Mehdi

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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