The Denver Nuggets now sit in 4th place in the Western Conference after a 114-106 win over the Chicago Bulls that was highlighted by a ridiculous ejection of Nikola Jokić with less than two minutes left in the first half. The two-time MVP and NBA Champion has had an interesting start to the season with officials, as this is his second ejection this season off of technical fouls for arguing with referees. Nikola has always been a vocal player due to his physical playstyle that causes less skilled defenders to hack on the big man like they are chopping down a Christmas tree. Regardless of how ridiculous the ejection was, the Nuggets still managed to pull out their second win without the game changing center on the floor, with five players scoring in double figures. Jokić was well on his way to a triple double, leaving the game with 4 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in only 16 minutes of play. Denver continues to show they are one of the best teams in the West, after another solid team win without their main catalyst and a bench unit that is finally starting to find a rhythm on the road.
Nikola Jokic has been ejected, and fans at the United Center who paid to see him are NOT happy 😳 pic.twitter.com/XXxLrzUa0f
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 13, 2023
Nikola Jokić is averaging 27.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 9.4 assists per game in a start to a season that has limited the best player in the world purely based off of a bystander bias. Professional sports officials have one of the hardest jobs in the world, but have also been given a platform to enhance the gravity of what their interpretation to a play can mean for a team, fan base, and players career far too often this season. The NBA has always been known to be a league that favors veteran stars, especially during close calls and during game deciding foul calls or no calls in playoff and Finals games. No ref would say that he makes calls based on their personal bias but it seems that regardless of how many accolades Nikola Jokić secures, NBA officials have a vendetta against a player that leaves everything on the court. After winning back to back MVPs and bringing your franchise their first career title, you would think the Serbian big man would start to get more foul calls thrown his way, much like LeBron James, but on the contrary it seems now more than ever that Jokić needs to do even more to get the proper calls. These officials, much like the officials in the NFL need to come back to reality and realize what their role is in the league the officiate, and if they keep throwing out the best player on the floor based on meritless claims, Adam Silver will need to answer a lot of questions from the people that buy the tickets, merchandise, and notion that these NBA refs make calls objectively and subjectively. I know Jokić is not the original “chosen one” like the 39 year old in Los Angeles, but the man is undoubtedly the best player in the league and needs to start getting calls that reflect this title.
Nikola Jokić on his ejection: “Some guys can say whatever…I think some times what I said isn’t even a technical.” pic.twitter.com/OPcw4vigY6
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) December 13, 2023
