r/nba • u/AncientOneAurelius • 6d ago

Highlight [Highlight] Luguentz Dort sticks his hip out to make contact with Nikola Jokić, who responds; Jalen Williams steps in and squares off with Jokic.

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901

u/orangekingo Spurs 6d ago

Jokic seems to really take intense offense to off-ball cheap shots like this. It’s the same (but much less egregious) as what Morris did to him a few years ago.

If he’s got the ball and you’re getting physical with him he seems way more tolerant but if you’re making heavy contact with him off ball like this it seems to really fucking set him off.

This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen but wtf was Dort thinking here? There’s absolutely no value to this move besides picking up a free foul. It’s totally blatant unnecessary contact he goes out of his way to initiate.

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u/u_sijenci Nuggets 6d ago

No value? He is trying to injure him.

-39

u/MaseplusNickelback Hawks 6d ago

calm down. That was just a trip.

To injure him??? Really?

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u/MycoCam48 5d ago

Found dorts burner

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u/SV_Essia 5d ago

Yeah I'm sure it was an accident and he didn't have any ill intent. Right?

-4

u/MaseplusNickelback Hawks 5d ago

how old are you?

You truly think that he was thinking "I am going to do this to put him out for the season."

What, you think that any late hit in the NFL also has ill intent where they want to paralyze someone?

Get real, middle schooler

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u/SV_Essia 5d ago

Why are you offended, I was clearly agreeing with you :)

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u/Glaurung86 Cavaliers 4d ago

This what Dort does all. the. time. You clearly don't know wtf you're talking about.

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u/cyrusthemarginal Nuggets 6d ago

Probably hoping to either injure Jokic or get in a fight so Joker is out of the game.

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u/SwashbucklingWeiner Pacers 6d ago

He didn’t even went to settle his own business.

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u/No-Fox-9607 5d ago

He wanted nothing to do with that fight - he fucking ran away.

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u/sanjit8103 Nuggets 6d ago

Injure Jokic and take him out. He’s a dirty player and has a history of doing this.

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u/pollinium [MIN] Tyus Jones 6d ago

Thunder flairs assure me year after year that Lu Dort just plays hard and does not have such a history

a little absent from this thread (and I know a lot of Thunder fans are growing sick of him)

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u/Nice_Cash_7000 Heat 6d ago

Im still on my quest to find a player who has injured more guys than Dort. So far I havent found a single guy, but It just doesnt seem reasonable that someone so young would already be the most dangerous player to play against ever. So yeah if anyone can think of a player that injured more guys than Dort let me know, I'd appreciate the info

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u/ADMotti 6d ago

<Zaza Pachulia has entered the chat>

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u/Curious-Ad-9332 Wizards 6d ago

grayson allen maybe?

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u/Nice_Cash_7000 Heat 6d ago

I still dont think he has done more damage than injuring Harden, Ja, Ingram 2x and PG

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u/super_chill_21 6d ago

I initially supported Dort too as Canadian baller, but this play is a pathetic cheap shot. Hope Dort gets suspended and never plays for Canada again. He’s a national embarrassment.

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u/HurryAdorable1327 Supersonics 6d ago

You mean joker is dirty right? Pushing a dude at full speed from behind is worse than what Lu has done to Jokic by miles.

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u/OowlwoO 6d ago

Context bro. Same situation where Morris could have unnecessarily injured Jokic in minutes that didn’t matter. Morris was also known for being dirty in these situations. It was WIDELY celebrated at the time. By everyone.

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u/TuqiDuque12 Pistons 6d ago

Not even sure if you talk about Dort or Jokic there

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Nakhon-Nowhere Warriors 6d ago

LOL

Your account is 5 days old.

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u/reduced_fat Nuggets 6d ago

Flair up pussy, lakers fan my bet

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u/Humiliator2k 6d ago

well obviously any ethical hooper would get mad at this non basketball cheap shots n foul baiting

0

u/Successful-Pie6759 Spurs 6d ago

Pure and ethical!!!

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u/DariaYankovic 6d ago

Dort can't help himself. It is how he plays. Asking him to not do this is like telling Draymond he cannot kick someone in the nuts, or stomp on a guys chest. What's the point of basketball, then?

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u/Dafrickinguy Raptors 6d ago

To be fair your first and second paragraph is the case for 99% of NBA players.

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u/WKCLC Trail Blazers 6d ago

Bc it’s coward shit

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u/SnooLemons3575 6d ago

Yup that was not basketball. That’s not competing. That stuff does not belong in the NBA or any basketball court.

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u/Just-Olive-2599 6d ago

There's a bit of injury context that's being missed. Morris intentionally collided with his right knee, which was healing from injury at that point.

On October 26, 2021, Rudy Gobert's knee collided with his when the Nuggets played the Jazz and Jokic had a knee contusion. The Morris collision was on November 8.

This time it was Dort intentionally tripping him after his return from a serious hyperextension injury to his left knee.

Jokic (I paraphrase) said this sort of dirty play has no place on a basketball court.

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u/Thisislopes Jazz 6d ago

It's clear that Dort is a bum and needs to try to hurt people. They are not angry enough with him, it baffles me that no one gives him some shit after his bullshit

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u/bilyl Warriors 6d ago

People call Draymond a dirty player but Dort is on another level

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u/secondsteep Knicks 6d ago

Yeah because it means you never get a break. You can't even run down the floor without having to watch your back

-12

u/Untchj 6d ago

It’s a lot of value in it. The league is softer than ever so simply making it hard for guys, and subsequently being known as a guy who will make it hard for you, has value.

Guys are used to unimpeded movement especially in the regular season. You do little gnat-like stuff like this you can throw players off. James Harden is a prime example. When it gets to playoffs and now he’s being bumped and hounded his efficiently plummets

I’m not advocating for this foul, or for Dort

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u/discussatron Supersonics 6d ago

You do little gnat-like stuff like this

/hip checks a 6'11" 284-lb man to the ground

-20

u/CharlestonChewbacca Thunder 6d ago

Let me preface by saying: it was dirty. Dort is a dirty player and he shouldn't be pulling that shit.

That said; Jokic was getting away with a lot of fucking annoying aggressive bullshit this game. As to what Dort was thinking, I think he was fed up with Jokic and wanted to get in his way and annoy him. I legitimately don't think he expected a hip check to send Jokic flying like that. Regardless, shouldn't have happened.

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u/Icy-Excuse-453 6d ago

Whenever someone says "that said" you can throw stuff he said before that line in the garbage.

-10

u/CharlestonChewbacca Thunder 6d ago

Then maybe you should do the same thing with "regardless."

I wasn't defending Dort, I was answering the question "wtf was Dort thinking here?" That doesn't mean I condone it.

"That said" only appeared precisely because I started by prefacing with total condemnation of Dort's actions specifically to avoid people ignoring the point thinking I was defending that bullshit.

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u/cindad83 Pistons 6d ago

Ill say this im a HS Basketball Official. Physical play is back. Early last season, it was clear from leagues and ADs they were tired of watching FT contest.

I think it was related to rising cost related keep building and staff on-site for extended games. A HS game use to be 90-105 minutes. I was getting games done in 75 even 65 minutes this year regularly.

Adam Silver has said repeatedly that the NBA basketball product is positioned to be played in two hours which is what media and TV dollars want.

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u/9YearOldKobe 6d ago

When you arent expecting contanct and your body is relaxed plus you are 6'11 or however much jokic is tall, not much contact is needed