NBA: Nikola Jokic fined $50K, Julius Randle $35K for altercation

The NBA has issued fines to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle following an on-court altercation at the end of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

Jokic was fined $50,000, while Randle received a $35,000 penalty, according to NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations James Jones. The disciplinary action was announced on Sunday, one day after Minnesota’s 112-96 win over Denver, which gave the Timberwolves a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The incident occurred in the closing seconds of the game after Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels scored an uncontested layup with the outcome already decided. Jokic ran across the court and shoved McDaniels, triggering a brief confrontation between players from both teams.

Randle was also disciplined for escalating the situation by “forcefully inserting himself into the scrum” and pushing Nuggets forward Bruce Brown, according to the league’s statement. Both Jokic and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected before the game officially ended.

Tensions have been building throughout the series between the Western Conference rivals. The Timberwolves previously eliminated the Nuggets from the postseason two years ago, adding further intensity to the matchup.

Game 5 is scheduled for Monday in Denver, where the Nuggets will try to extend the series and avoid elimination. -Field Level Media/Reuters