Nikola Jokić was abruptly ejected in the second quarter of Tuesday's game at the United Center.
After missing a closely-contested reverse layup, the Denver Nuggets' big man shouted at the referee for not blowing the whistle on Bulls center Nikola Vucevic under the rim. The play continued, and Nuggets' head coach Mike Malone began having words with the official, as well.
Unfortunately, Jokić was ejected from the game prematurely.
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He received one technical foul. However, he was immediately ejected without receiving a second technical foul, which would preclude an ejection if assigned.
Following the game, NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson conducted the NBA's Pool Report interview with Crew Chief Mark Lindsay to discuss Jokić's ejection.
"To be clear, Jokić was ejected after one technical foul because he directed profane language at the official that by our standards warranted an ejection," Lindsay said what warranted Jokić a technical foul.
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After the game, Jokić said he used a word at an official that he felt warranted an ejection. However, he claims he's used the same word before and has not been ejected.
Head coach Mike Malone suggested the word Jokić used was a "term of endearment" when he was growing up. Either way, it sounds like Jokić gambled with using the word and lost in the end.
"It is what it is," Jokić said. "Some guys can say it, whatever. I think sometimes what I said is nothing but a technical. So, it is what it is. I crossed a line but sometimes that word doesn't cross the line."
"That's terrible," NBC Sports Chicago color analyst Stacey King said. "That's excessive. That's excessive. Give the guy a tech. He should've got a tech. But to eject the guy, come on now.
"The people didn't come to see the officials. They came to see the players. He's one of the players that people came to see. Give him a tech. He earns that. He's a two-time MVP. He earned the right to be able to communicate."
Fans at the United Center took to booing the officials for the point King made in his commentary. Rarely do top-tier players of his caliber come to Chicago and play against the Bulls. Jokić, in particular, only plays at the United Center once a year in the regular season.
Jokić is a two-time MVP. And fans at the United Center came to see him. It's a shame he was ejected from what could've been a much more entertaining night for Bulls fans.
"It seemed excessive," Vucevic said of the ejection after the game. "Sure, a tech, whatever. But I think the ejection was a little bit too much for what happened. I don't what the criteria is or what happened exactly, but yeah it was a little too much."