Zach Collins of the Saint Anthony Spurs was posterized Friday night, and the fifth-year pro didn’t appreciate it.
denver nuggets Forward Michael Porter Jr. he dunked Collins in the third quarter of the Spurs’ 128-120 victory, and Porter’s reaction caused a stir.
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. catches a fumble in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Porter looked at Collins after the dunk, prompting the Spurs forward to charge at Porter Jr., and the Denver star grabbed Collins by the neck during the confrontation.
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Both players were separated and eventually expelled of the game
«I don’t want to say the stakes were high, but I feel like everyone wanted to win and everyone was on the same page,» said Spurs center Sandro Mamukelashvili. «Once you’re at that point, and you’re up there, you just don’t want to lose that game, you just do everything to win.»
After the game, Collins said that he did not like how Porter Jr. spoke to him after the dunk.
«Yeah, I felt it in real time,» Collins told reporters after the game when asked if he felt Porter Jr. grab him by the neck.
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«You see how I pushed him. He was ready,» Collins continued. «I moved the choke away. I was ready.»
San Antonio Spurs’ Zach Collins, right, is held by Spurs assistant coach Matt Nielsen after an on-court altercation in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, on Friday, March 10, 2023, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
For him first place nuggetsFriday night’s loss was only the fourth time Denver has lost back-to-back games this season.
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Despite the 26th triple-double of the year for center Nikola JokicDenver lost to a Spurs team that had lost 18 of their previous 20 games.
San Antonio Spurs’ Zach Collins, right, is held by Spurs assistant coach Matt Nielsen after an on-court altercation in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, on Friday, March 10, 2023, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio outrebounded Denver 50-33, outscoring the Nuggets 68-54 in the paint.
«They lived in our paint, they outrebounded us and on top of that, we lost some really good looks,» Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said. «It was hard trying to climb back up, even when we brought a good attitude and a good effort. We just couldn’t get out of the hole we created for ourselves.»
Associated Press contributed to this report.