Jokic responds to the altercation: Dort's move was unnecessary, and my reaction was also unnecessary.

On February 28th, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Thunder defeated the Nuggets 127-121 in overtime. Jokic contributed 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists in the game and spoke to the media afterward—

Q: How was the execution in overtime?

Jokic: I think even the final possession was a good opportunity for us. They scored about 8 points off transition. We might have thought they wouldn't push the pace, but then Joe hit two corner threes, and Wallace scored on a layup. In the final moments of regulation and in overtime, we just couldn't make our shots. Murray made a few baskets in overtime.

Q: Clearly, this game was very intense. What's your take on Dort's foul?

Jokic: Let's just leave it at that; I don't want to comment much. It was an unnecessary move, and my reaction was also unnecessary. That kind of thing shouldn't happen on the basketball court. It was just an extra action, and I had an extra reaction.

Q: Was it just because of that one play, or was it built-up emotion from earlier?

Jokic: We know they play physically, with a lot of contact, always testing the limits. But I think we responded well.

Q: Was your frustration building throughout the entire game?

Jokic: In terms of physicality and all that... basketball is an emotional game with ups and downs. I'm not sure if I was frustrated.

Q: You stayed to shake hands after the game. Was there a message you wanted to convey?

Jokic: No, I shake hands after every game. Nothing special.

Q: How do you address the turnover issues?

Jokic: Sometimes you think the pass is there, but they rotate so fast, with quick hands and good defensive awareness. The pass looks open, but it's not. I think we played well; we just didn't finish at the end.

Q: They defended you very aggressively. How important is it to keep passing to the open corner?

Jokic: We did create open looks; we just didn't make them. We understand their defense, and the team played well. Jamal had a chance on the last play; maybe we could have waited a bit longer to shoot, but that's how it went.

Q: You've been highly efficient throughout your career, but your shooting hasn't been the same lately. What's the situation now?

Jokic: Every player goes through shooting slumps. Hopefully, I can find my rhythm soon, take the shots I want, and take high-percentage shots.

Q: How are you feeling physically?

Jokic: Very good.

Q: You posted up a lot in overtime. Were you satisfied with their defensive scheme? Did you get good looks?

Jokic: We got open looks. I missed two threes, actually three. These things happen. I think our defense was solid the whole game; we switched up coverages a lot, transition defense was good, and we rebounded well for most of the game.

Q: I noticed you seemed to be applauding yourself after your second foul. Was that self-motivation?

Jokic: I was applauding myself? Maybe, I'm not sure.

Q: After a game like this, what new insights do you have about the team?

Jokic: If Cameron (Johnson) had made that shot, giving us a little more time, we'd be having a completely different conversation right now. It was a great game; we had our chances. Since the All-Star break, our defense has been trending in the right direction, and the opponents are strong. We had our opportunities, and that's the result.

Q: After the altercation with Dort, did Jalen Williams escalate the situation?

Jokic: I don't want to comment; it's not worth it.

Q: Since your return, the team is 4-3. What's your biggest concern right now?

Jokic: We've been up and down all season, dealing with constant injuries, players in and out. But we have been trending in a positive direction since the All-Star break. Sometimes the team doesn't play well, but we played well in this game, just didn't win. The Clippers game was close, this one was close; these things happen.

Q: Looking back at the altercation, were you worried about getting ejected?

Jokic: I don't think I did anything.

Q: You said Dort's move was unnecessary and your reaction was unnecessary, correct?

Jokic: Yes.