Lu Dort Regrets His Flagrant Foul on Nikola Jokic: « I Crossed the Line »
May 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) in the first quarter during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
A few days after the incident that ignited the matchup between Oklahoma City and Denver, Lu Dort has taken a step back to reflect on his controversial action. The Canadian Thunder guard publicly admitted that his foul on Nikola Jokic went too far, while defending his physical style of play.
On February 27th, during a Nuggets inbound play at the start of the fourth quarter, Dort cut off Jokic’s run with contact to his hips. The three-time Serbian MVP fell, got up furious and went after him, sparking a general scuffle. After video review, the play resulted in a flagrant 2 foul for Dort, meaning ejection, as well as technical fouls for Jokic and Jaylin Williams.
Lu Dort was ejected after appearing to trip Nikola Jokic on this play.
Nikola Jokic and Jaylin Williams both received technical fouls. pic.twitter.com/ZFyNHpigsM
— ESPN (@espn) February 28, 2026
An Assumed Admission in the Face of Criticism
Asked by The Athletic after the Thunder victory over the Chicago Bulls, Dort didn’t beat around the bush: « It was obviously an unnecessary contact that I shouldn’t have made. There are limits to the physical dimension of the game, and I went beyond the limit. »
The Canadian defender also acknowledged the legitimacy of Jokic’s reaction: « He was right. The contact was unnecessary. I shouldn’t have done it. » This stance contrasts with statements from Denver assistant coach David Adelman, who had described the action as « vicious » and a « cheap shot. »
Despite these apologies, Dort firmly rejected the « dirty » player label that sticks to him. « I don’t believe I’m a dirty player. I have a difficult job: defending the best players every night. I play hard, I’m physical. Sometimes people think it’s too much but it’s always within the rules of basketball, » he explained.
The Thunder guard also pointed to the media’s role in this controversy: « I can’t control the media. They’re looking for buzz. I’ve been doing this for this franchise for years and I’m satisfied with how we play. »
This fourth ejection in seven NBA seasons for Dort perfectly illustrates the fine line on which the defensive specialist operates. Between necessary defensive intensity and sanctioned excesses, the incident with Jokic adds another layer of tension to the growing rivalry between the defending champion Thunder and the Nuggets.
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