For a few seconds late Monday night, it looked like the NBA had its next real rivalry. Nikola Jokic staggered after catching a wild arm from Lu Dort while fighting through a screen. The whistles blew. Denver players barked toward the officials. Thunder fans held their breath.

Given what had already happened between these teams ten days earlier, the moment had all the ingredients for another ugly chapter. Instead, it ended with handshakes. After Oklahoma City’s 129-126 win over the Denver Nuggets on March 9, both Dort and Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault publicly apologized for the Flagrant 1 foul on Jokic that briefly reignited tensions between the Western Conference contenders.

For a rivalry that seemed ready to explode, the response from the Thunder camp quickly pulled the temperature down.

Dort’s reputation around the league is built on relentless defense. Few players fight through screens harder than Oklahoma City’s physical wing. That same style led to the controversial play against Jokic.

The Thunder guard swung his arm while trying to chase Jamal Murray around a screen and struck Jokic in the face. Officials reviewed the contact and upgraded it to a Flagrant 1. After the game, Dort made it clear there was no intention behind the hit. “Just lost in the competition,” Dort told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

“But I shook his hand and apologized that it happened.” Dort also pushed back on the idea that the play was dirty. “I didn’t mean to hit him in the face. When I go over screens, my arms are everywhere sometimes. Unfortunately I caught him.”

Jokic himself did not escalate the situation. When asked if Dort crossed a line, the Nuggets star answered with a simple “No.” Just like that, what looked like a brewing feud lost its spark.

Why the tension between Jokic and Dort was already high

The reaction mattered because the two teams had already experienced a far uglier moment recently. In their February 27 matchup, Dort tripped Jokic from behind during a fast break. The play triggered a heated confrontation that required teammates to separate the three-time MVP from the Thunder defender.

Officials assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and an automatic ejection to Dort that night. Jokic later called the play “unnecessary,” while Denver assistant coach David Adelman criticized Oklahoma City’s handling of the situation.

At the time, Daigneault publicly defended his player and questioned why Jokic was not penalized for reacting to the incident. That stance drew criticism across the league.

On Monday night, the Thunder coach walked those comments back. “Lu acknowledged the play was unnecessary,” Daigneault said. “I don’t think my comments helped. The timing was insensitive. I was in the mode of protecting my team, and I’ve acknowledged that.”

The apology helped reset the tone around the matchup. Ironically, the controversial play almost swung the outcome in Denver’s favor. The Flagrant 1 gave Jokic free throws and possession, fueling a quick Nuggets push that erased a seven-point deficit in the closing moments.

Jokic and Jamal Murray combined for a rapid scoring burst that tied the game, briefly silencing the Oklahoma City crowd. However, the Thunder still had the final answer.

With seconds left, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drilled a clutch three-pointer that sealed the 129-126 victory and capped another statement win for the Western Conference leaders. While the apologies ensured there were no lingering hard feelings, the physical nature of the matchup told a different story.

Both teams know they could easily meet again in the playoffs. If that happens, the Jokic-Dort dynamic might become one of the defining battles of the Western Conference postseason. And judging by how little it takes for sparks to fly, the next chapter could be even louder.