Nikola Jokic shoves former Spartan, new Suns owner Mat Ishbia (Video)

Nikola Jokic went at Suns owner Mat Ishbia during Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday night.

One of the most bizarre moments you’ll ever see took place on Sunday night in the Western Conference Semifinals, and no, it didn’t involve Draymond Green. It involved Mat Ishbia.

The new Phoenix Suns owner and former Michigan State basketball walk-on got stuck between a rock and a hard place after one of his players dove into the stands for a ball. Josh Okogie made a hustle play out of bounds and Ishbia caught the ball and was holding onto it while helping him up.

Jokic didn’t take too kindly to Ishbia holding onto the ball and tried to grab it right from the Suns’ owner before giving him a slight nudge with his elbow.

Great flop by Mat Ishbia to draw the foul pic.twitter.com/oFCMKSyfjF

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) May 8, 2023

No one knew what happened right away, just that there was a scuffle in the stands right where the play was, but the replay showed that Jokic got into it a little with Ishbia and the former Spartan flopped like a true pro. Sure, Jokic probably has over a foot and 100 pounds on Ishbia, but the former walk-on didn’t stand down and definitely took a nudge. Still, I have to rule this a flop.

This was one of the weirdest things I’ve seen in the NBA playoffs this year and it resulted in a technical foul for Jokic. We’ve seen Draymond Green step on Domantas Sabonis, Dillon Brooks getting a punch to the groin of LeBron James, and Joel Embiid stepping on Grant Williams’ head by accident, but this easily takes the cake as the most bizarre moment.

Ishbia is already making a name for himself in the desert. He just has to be careful next time because Jokic’s nudge was nothing compared to what it could have been.