NBA could suspend Nuggets and Wolves players after melee

For a long time there was a strong rule in the NBA with no exceptions: leave the bench during a scuffle, get suspended.

Multiple Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves players did just that during a scuffle at the end of Game 4, resulting in the ejections of Jaden McDaniels and Nikola Jokic. ESPN reports that the NBA has opened an investigation into the incident and it could result in punishment before Game 5 on Monday night.

The NBA investigation is underway into the Denver Nuggets-Minnesota Timberwolves scuffle Saturday night, including interviews with involved players and officials and review of the footage, sources tell ESPN. Rulings are expected before Game 5 on Monday night in Denver.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026

In the closing second of the 112-96 loss Jokic was upset McDaniels went for a layup when the game was already in hand. He ran full court at him and the two grabbed each other’s jerseys. Players from both teams joined the scuffle.

It’s no surprise there’s bad blood between the two teams with them playing over 30 games against one another in the past few seasons, including three playoff series. McDaniels has been a central figure, smack-talking the Nuggets with a comment about the team’s bad defense after Game 2.

NIKOLA JOKIC GOES AFTER JADEN MCDANIELS FIGHT BREAKS OUT. OH MY. pic.twitter.com/YnRsvdw3KY

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 26, 2026

It’ll be worth watching Aaron Gordon, Jonas Valanciunas, Bones Hyland and a few more, because they did leave the bench area. But it’s worth noting the Wolves will lbe without Anthony Edwards in that game as well as Donte Divincenzo, who both were injured in Game 4 as Ayo Dosunmu’s generational game carried the Wolves to a very emotional win.

But the rule that has been so hard and fast was recently tweaked. The NBA altered leaving the bench rule a few years ago. It’s no longer as strict as it was 20 years ago when the Suns kinda got screwed in this exact situation. Now the rule takes into account distance player traveled and extent in which they entered immediate proximity of altercation.

This played out last year for the Nuggets during the Clippers series where nobody faced serious discipline, just the six technicals after some shoves and words exchanged. So the league will be looking at multiple factors at play in determining potential discipline and not just automatically leaving the bench. And that means Jokic is worth watching for punishment as well.

The Nuggets are down 3-1, looking to become the 10th team since the 1980s to flip that deficit, the last two wins were led by Jokic.

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