We have a real problem at hand because everyone’s trying to justify Denver’s effort rather than the actual result, and its 1-3 series record. Game 4 was yet another example of how average the Timberwolves made Nikola Jokic and Co. look, who, mind you, have their own injury struggles. And if there was any tension simmering under the Minnesota-Denver rivalry, it has clearly boiled over after last night’s brawl. Ejections were just the beginning. Now, suspensions could be on the table. The consequences are dire, especially for the Nuggets, who stand on the brink of a first-round exit with their centerpiece losing his mind.

However, the players involved, Nikola Jokic and Jaden McDaniels, seemed unfazed by the prospect of a suspension when addressing the media, setting the tone for a defiant postgame atmosphere. The stakes are high, but for Jokic, the bar for player etiquette was higher. The Serb was firm in his stance. “I don’t regret [going after McDaniels],” the MVP finalist stated. “Because he scored, and everybody stopped playing. Come on, guys. You saw it.” He believed there was an unwritten rule to let the clock run out in this situation, and it was not about firing up his teammates.

McDaniels, however, didn’t share that principle. Despite the verbal shots from the Denver bench, the Timberwolves star declared to the reporters in the locker room, “Clock still be running. So I’m going to go score.” That said, what exactly happened between the two teams that led to this skirmish?

The heated altercation broke just seconds before the Wolves sealed victory. Minnesota held a commanding 112-96 lead with 1.3 seconds remaining. That’s when forward Jaden McDaniels opted to score an uncontested layup rather than dribble out the clock: a decision that instantly crossed an unwritten line in the eyes of Denver. The move immediately drew Jokic’s ire and brought his wild side out.

And from there, things escalated fast. Usually, when that happens, the big man is immediately charging at you, and that’s exactly what Jokic did, sprinting across the court to confront McDaniels. That encounter quickly spiraled into a chaotic scrum as players from both benches converged, forcing officials to step in. However, by the time order was restored, officials had ejected the initiator of the fight and someone else entirely…

Jokic and (surprisingly) Julius Randle, who tried to break up the altercation, were tossed from the game. That moment didn’t just end the game- it may have reshaped the series. Adding insult to injury, the 112-96 loss pushed Denver to the brink of elimination, turning the remainder of the series into a set of must-wins. While the threat of suspensions still looms over both teams, neither can let its guard down. Yet both sides are taking a defiant stance on today’s scuffle!

When someone like Jokic charges at you, brain function can cease. McDaniels also claimed there was no real conversation despite the two jawing at each other and grabbing jerseys. “I don’t know what he said, to be honest. I just seen someone who was big as hell,” the Timberwolves star said. While that is understandable in a confrontation with a giant, McDaniels kept it cool in the end, stating, “I just come to hoop every night. Doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.” Perhaps the most sensible attitude to have while waiting for a verdict from the league’s disciplinary office…

Like his player, Minnesota coach Chris Finch remained defiant in his post-game comments, telling reporters, “I’ve seen a lot. I’m proud of the guys stepping up and fighting for each other, literally and figuratively. These teams don’t like each other. It’s no secret.” It’s not been a secret since Jokic’s Nuggets and Anthony Edwards’ Wolves have clashed frequently in past playoffs, too.

The league is now reviewing the incident and weighing whether to issue suspensions, which could further complicate Denver’s already fragile position. NBA rules mandate that players not in the game should not leave the bench during altercations. However, footage confirms Aaron Gordon left the bench to intervene. So now, even he is risking suspension. That adds to coach David Adelman’s frustration tonight.

“Obviously, I didn’t like what McDaniels did,” Adelman said, understandably taking Jokic’s side. “The game was over. The game was conceded both ways. In 2026, that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore. That stuff happened in the ’80s, where teams would continue to score. But that’s who he is… It has nothing to do with the win or the loss.”

Adelman also may be holding on to a false sense of security when he says, “More importantly, no suspensions for us,” Adelman said. “I didn’t see anything out of line. Obviously, they’ll have the Hawkeye view of the whole thing, but from what I saw, from my standpoint, I saw [Jokic] get into it with [McDaniels] toward the middle of the scrum, and then both guys were ejected.”

This type of late-game altercation involving a star player charging across the court has clear precedents in recent NBA playoff history. For instance, Draymond Green has faced multiple suspensions for escalating on-court incidents, including a one-game playoff suspension in 2023 after stomping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest during a first-round series against Sacramento, as well as a five-game suspension in the 2023-24 season for forcibly grabbing Gobert around the neck.

Such cases illustrate how the league often hands down suspensions, ranging from one to several games, for actions deemed to escalate confrontations, especially when they involve physical contact or leaving the bench area, providing context for the potential outcomes in the Jokic-McDaniels situation.

The league office will indeed look into last night’s play, and, according to most analysts’ observations, Adelman’s and Finch’s players could be suspended. As the series shifts back to Denver for Game 5, tonight’s late-game brawl ensures that the rivalry will remain personal heading into a potential elimination game.