The last five seconds in Target Center on Saturday watched drama unfold. Jaden McDaniels defied the NBA’s unwritten rule, gliding in for an uncontested layup instead of letting the clock die. That moment riled up Nikola Jokic as the Denver Nuggets watched the playoff series take the worst turn for them. He charged the Minnesota Timberwolves star, and all hell broke loose. But it looks like someone else was behind the heated moment.

Mike Conley, the Timberwolves veteran, took responsibility for the heated brawl after winning 112-96. “Nah, that was a slip-up, that’s all on me, I take the blame… as soon as I threw it I looked, and I was like ‘Ah, it’s Jaden’,” he told the reporters in the locker room. “I almost put my hands on my head, and I was like, ‘maybe he won’t,’ and then as soon as I saw him when the ball kind of bounced a couple times, ‘it’s over, man.’ You can even see me like lower my head.”

With seconds ticking away in a 112-96 finish, Mike Conley launched a long pass to Jaden McDaniels, seemingly to kill the clock. However, McDaniels had other plans. He chose to finish a layup, and that decision crossed an old-school line. There’s no official rule against it; however, NBA culture says you ease off when the game is decided and defenders back away. Because of that, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets saw it as disrespectful. As a result, frustration boiled over, fueled by a code players have quietly followed for years.

One moment led to another, and Jokic charged McDaniels and shoved him. Meanwhile, others intervened, officials followed, and the Denver Nuggets star and Julius Randle faced ejection. Now, the NBA has a tricky call to make. As benches cleared and Nikola Jokic sparked a near-brawl, the spotlight quickly shifted to the league office. Now, the Commissioner holds the cards. The rulebook allows a fine of up to $50,000, a suspension, or even both. Therefore, the aftermath may not stop at one player, and instead, multiple names could feel the weight of discipline in the coming days.

According to the rules, step off the bench, and the price gets steep. Players risk a one-game suspension without pay, plus fines climbing to $50,000. As a result, rotations could unravel fast. Meanwhile, Jaden McDaniels had already added fuel earlier, calling the Denver Nuggets “bad defenders.” That jab lingered, and eventually, the tension spilled over at the worst possible moment.

At the same time, the Serbian big man assessed his game as “average” after Saturday’s loss. He admitted that Rudy Gobert is giving him a hard time on the floor. It’s safe to say that the defensive walls of Minnesota, namely, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels, have crowded Jokic’s vision on the floor, making him uncomfortable. Now, as the series keeps slipping away from the Nuggets, Game 5 will be an interesting sight. And that is simply because the league will have to decide Nikola Jokic and Co.’s fate before the same.

Nikola Jokic admits to on-court struggles against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Jokic and the Denver Nuggets walked out of Minneapolis searching for answers, as the Minnesota Timberwolves tightened control of the series. Their defense felt suffocating. In particular, Rudy Gobert stayed in Jokic’s space, constantly chirping and disrupting the rhythm. So, the 3-time MVP looked boxed in, uneasy, and far from his usual commanding self.

Meanwhile, the Joker is still putting up 25 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, yet the shine fades quickly. He’s hitting only 39% from the field and a rough 5-of-27 from deep, while coughing up four turnovers a night. He even labeled his run “average.” Moreover, Jokic pointed toward Rudy Gobert as a major reason behind the disruption.

“It’s a little bit of everything. You know, I’m not shooting the ball really well, especially from the three, and you know, Rudy is doing a good job with being physical, testing the officials, contesting shots,” he told the media. “You know, he’s a really good defender. And not just him, they play very good … they’re big, long, tall, handsy, trippy, they’re bumping you, so… I think I answered.”

Everything flipped in seconds, and now the series feels on edge for Denver. Mike Conley admitted the mistake, and Jaden McDaniels followed through and lit the fuse. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic is battling frustration, pressure, and looming decisions. The Minnesota Timberwolves keep closing in with a 3-1 lead. Now, Game 5 carries everything.