OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed Lu Dort's ejection in Friday's 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. All Gilgeous-Alexander could do was watch the Thunder in overtime after leading Oklahoma City with 36 points and nine assists. Head coach Mark Daigneault shut SGA down for the night after clocking in 34 minutes in his first game back from an abdominal injury.
After Gilgeous-Alexander discussed the plan the Thunder has in place for his first games back from injury, he reacted to Dort's ejection in the fourth quarter.
“They're obviously a high-level team. We're a high-level team. We've seen each other a lot in the past couple of years. Might be a little more into the game because we know the opponent. But yeah, it was fun. It was good out there. End-of-season basketball is like that — it's that physical. So, it's good to get one of those in the regular season.
“As far as the scrummage, that's how it usually goes. Something happens, a team roars, the other team roars. Lu got thrown out. Lu’s not that type of guy — Lu’s trying to go out there and win. I didn’t see what happened.”
SGA on Lu Dort’s ejection for scuffle with Nikola Jokic: “Lu’s not that type of guy — Lu’s trying to go out there and win.
I didn’t see what happened” pic.twitter.com/dJReEmNCHn
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 28, 2026
As Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic made his way back up the floor, Lu Dort checked the All-Star center by the knees, which resulted in him falling and getting into Lu's face. Then, Thunder center Jaylin Williams got in between, and the pushing and shoving happened between Williams and Jokic. Upon review, Dort was hit with a flagrant-2.
Lu Dort with an absolutely dirty play on Nikola Jokic.
No room for this in the NBA.pic.twitter.com/Ft4z5QQwtu
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 28, 2026
The two centers earned double technical fouls.
Why Mark Daigneault sat SGA during overtime in Thunder win
Head coach Mark Daigneault discussed Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Friday's hard-fought win in overtime. Although Gilgeous-Alexander didn't play in overtime for the Thunder, Daigneault had a perfectly good explanation as to why.
“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. There’s a return to play. One of the conditions of getting him on the court tonight is holding him at a certain point, minutes-wise,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] before the game. Just so we're all clear in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, that's what we would do.
“We obviously did it. I understand it's a little unorthodox, but, at the end of the day, we're trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from an injury,” Daigneault concluded.
The Thunder will face the Mavericks on Sunday.
