DENVER – Monty Williams called it silliness.
Kevin Durant didn’t think it was anything and Nikola Jokic was just hilariously honest about intruding on Phoenix’s sideline huddle during Tuesday’s Game 5 at Ball Arena.
“Just to see what they were drawing up, just to see the play,” Jokic said. “That would help us a lot. And.”
Pause. Looked at Nuggets officials in the press room.
“I mean, that’s what I was doing,” Jokic continued.
Media laughter.
All part of the reaction to Bruce Brown and Jokic hovering around the Suns’ huddle in the third quarter of Denver’s 118-102 Game 5 win to take a 3-2 lead in this West semifinal series.
Durant and Brown received double technical fouls during the exchange that occurred with 37.6 seconds left in the third quarter and Phoenix down 20 points.
“The league has to figure out all that stuff, man,” Williams said. “There’s just too much silliness going on in the NBA when it comes to that. Everybody does it. It should be like a written rule that you shouldn’t walk over to somebody’s huddle, but everybody in the league does that. It’s kind of silly.”
The play was stopped after Nuggets rookie Christian Braun fouled Devin Booker.
Williams took that opportunity to gather Jock Landale, Terrence Ross, Cameron Payne and Durant around him. That’s when Jokic came over and started walking around the huddle.
Brown also made his way over there and had a slight exchange with Durant. Then Durant pushed Jokic, who flopped backwards in response.
Referee Bill Kennedy immediately hit Durant with a technical foul.
“Absolutely nothing,” Durant said when asked about his exchange with Jokic. “It wasn’t anything serious. They were excited, they were up big and we were trying to draw up some stuff and you know how that goes. It was nothing.”
Then Brown got in the face of Suns assistant Kevin Young and had a later verbal exchange with Durant.
The NBA reviewed the situation and Brown received a technical foul as well.
“I don’t know why Bruce reacted on that because if he didn’t react, we’re going to have free throws,” Jokic said. “He reacted so we didn’t have free throws. Actually, I’m blaming Bruce.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone came over and got his players out of the situation.
This is the second situation involving Jokic in as many games as the two-time MVP had an exchange with Suns team owner Mat Ishbia late in the first half of Game 4 in Phoenix.
More: ‘I have nothing against him’: Nikola Jokic, Suns owner Mat Ishbia friendly exchange before Game 5
Looking to quickly inbound the ball for a potential 5-on-4 situation as Suns wing Josh Okogie went into the crowd for the ball on a Phoenix turnover, Jokic ripped the ball out of the hands of Ishbia, who was sitting courtside.
Then Jokic extended his arm into Ishbia, who fell back into his seat. The NBA fined Jokic $25,000 for “making improper contact with a spectator sitting courtside,” but did not suspend him for a game.
The two had a friendly exchange prior to Game 6.
Have an opinion about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Durant, Jokic downplay exchange near Phoenix Suns team huddle that led to technical fouls