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Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was ejected with 3:47 left in regulation against the lottery-bound Washington Wizards, resulting in a costly 95-90 loss that now puts them a full game behind the Golden State Warriors for the top seed in the West.
Jokic, who has traded barbs with officials in the past, revealed the exchange he had with referee James Capers, one that eventually saw him tossed from the game after arguing a potential and-1 call after scoring a layup to tie affairs at 88:
“I said to James, ‘He slapped me with two hands on my head,’ Jokic said after a 95-90 home loss to the Wizards, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. “I don’t know if I sweared or something, but he gave me a technical. Then he said, ‘Do you want another one?’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’ And he gave me another one.”
Bradley Beal hit both technical free throws as a result of Jokic's ejection, giving the Wizards a 90-88 lead. As it would be, the Nuggets would not score another bucket the rest of the way, only getting a pair of freebies from Paul Millsap.
Nuggets coach Mike Malone argued Jokic is too valuable for the team to get ejected:
“He can’t get tossed,” Malone said. “I don’t care what they do to him. I don’t care how bad the refereeing is, foul call or no foul call, doesn’t matter. He’s too valuable for our team. It’s the second time it’s happened. He can’t get tossed.”
Denver will face the Warriors on Tuesday, hoping to get the much-needed tiebreaker against the defending champions in case they wind up with the same record at the end of the season.
