Jokic Fined 50K, Randle 35K After Blowout Skirmish: No Suspensions Coming

The NBA handed out fines Saturday night after things got heated between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, but nobody's getting suspended. Nikola Jokic took a $50,000 hit and Julius Randle coughed up $35,000 for their roles in an altercation that exploded with 1.3 seconds left on the clock during the Timberwolves' 112-96 blowout win in Game 4.

How It Started: One Shot Changed Everything

Jaden McDaniels pulled up for an uncontested layup when the game was already decided. Jokic was standing at half-court waiting for the clock to run out, and he absolutely did not appreciate what he saw coming. He confronted McDaniels in front of the Timberwolves bench, and what started as a one-on-one moment turned into a full mosh pit real fast.

After the dust settled, Jokic made his position clear. He felt McDaniels broke an unwritten rule by shooting when the game was over, and honestly? He didn't regret going at him about it. "Because he scored after everybody stopped playing," Jokic explained. When the two came chest-to-chest, words definitely flew. McDaniels admitted he didn't catch what Jokic actually said, just saw a massive dude in his face.

Randle Escalated It, Both Got Ejected

Randle waded into the chaos and threw several shoves that kicked things up another level. The refs ejected both guys on the spot. When the league reviewed it Sunday, they came back with fines for Jokic and Randle but nothing more serious.

There was some wondering whether the NBA would hand out one-game suspensions to other players who left the bench during the skirmish, including Aaron Gordon, Jonas Valanciunas, Rudy Gobert, and Bones Hyland. The league didn't go there. No suspensions were deemed necessary. The NBA had loosened its bench-clearing rules a few years back, giving more leeway than it used to, and this situation fell within those guidelines.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.