DETROIT Pistons commentators have defended Nikola Jokic following his dismissal in the Denver Nuggets’ 107-103 win.
The Nuggets star was ejected from the game after collecting two technical fouls for challenging officials’ calls.
The second technical was called after Jokic, 28, claimed he was fouled twice on a late-second-quarter play.
Marvin Bagley III first collided with the Serbian big man while attempting a post-up, leading him to protest while still holding the ball.
After being sandwiched by Bagley and Isaiah Stewart, the 6-foot-11 NBA center dropped the ball, which bounced off the Pistons players and sailed out of bounds.
Jokic then approached the refs, removed his mouth guard, and screamed angrily at them for not calling a foul on the play.
And his enraged outburst resulted in his second technical foul and expulsion, with head coach Michael Malone also being ejected for similar behavior earlier.
However, Pistons broadcasters George Blaha and Greg Kelser sympathized with Jokic, stating the refs were soaking up too much attention.
Blaha remarked of the game’s officials, “Let me tell you this, these fans did not come here to see Curtis Blair, Tre Maddox, or Andy Nagy, whoever they are.”
And he went on to say: “You know, I felt the same way when Giannis Antetokounmpo got ejected in Milwaukee for kind of flexing after he made a dunk.”
Despite the fact that the Nuggets won, improving to 10-4 on the season, Malone appeared to be in good spirits after the game, despite getting ejected with Jokic.
He also joked about him and Denver’s star watching the most of the game from the locker room together.
“I believe Nikola was concerned about my well-being,” Malone explained.
“It is tough to watch a game on TV – we were hugging on good plays and I was cursing in Serbian on the bad ones.”
In Jokic’s absence, Denver’s role players stepped up, with five Nuggets scoring in double figures, led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s 21 points.
Cade Cunningham exploded for a game-high 27 points, nine rebounds, and three steals for the Pistons.