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Why Nikola Jokic and Bruce Brown invaded an impromptu Suns huddle during Game 5

“Just to see what they’re drawing and see the play,” Jokic explained

Kevin Durant (35) of the Phoenix Suns pushes Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the western conference semifinal Game 5 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Denver won 119-102. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Kevin Durant (35) of the Phoenix Suns pushes Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the western conference semifinal Game 5 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Denver won 119-102. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Parker Gabriel - Staff portraits in The Denver Post studio on October 6, 2022. (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post)
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Nikola Jokic is not one to hide his intentions on the basketball court.

So he made no secret about what he was doing snooping around an impromptu Suns huddle in the third quarter of Tuesday nightap Game 5.

“I mean, just to see what they’re drawing and see the play,” he said with only a hint of humor in his voice after the game. “I thought that could help us a lot. Thatap what I was doing.”

Devin Booker was headed to the free-throw line, but there was no timeout issued on the floor, so Jokic and Bruce Brown got right into Phoenix’s business near Monty Williams along the sideline.

Eventually, Kevin Durant pushed Jokic. The big man followed with his best Matt Ishbia impression and sold the charge effectively, drawing a technical foul.

The officials reviewed the incident and issued Brown a technical, too, which crew chief David Guthrie told a pool reporter after the game was for, “his unsportsmanlike actions towards the Phoenix bench.”

“Itap not a timeout, so I can be over there,” Brown countered after the game. “I don’t know why I got a tech. I have to figure that one out.”

Durant said after the game he thought the bit of spycraft was no big deal.

“Absolutely nothing. It wasn’t anything serious,” he said. “They were excited, they were upbeat. We were trying to draw up some stuff and you know how that goes.”

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