INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY MIKE SINGER (DENVER POST) WITH CREW CHIEF DAVID GUTHRIE FOLLOWING TONIGHT’S PHOENIX SUNS AT DENVER NUGGETS GAME

June 13, 2021

QUESTION: “What warranted the Flagrant 2 after watching the replay on Nikola Jokic’s foul on Cameron Payne in the third quarter?”

GUTHRIE: “At replay review we saw wind up, impact, and follow through, which lead to unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulders and also into the face.  Which by rule met the criteria for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2.”

QUESTION: “To clarify did his interaction with Devin Booker after the fact play any part.”

GUTHRIE: “Not particularly, no.  The flagrant was being judged mostly on his action.  As I said the wind up, the impact, the follow through, the unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulders into the face, which by rule meets the criteria for a flagrant 2.”

QUESTION: “Did he [Jokic] say anything to you either before or after while you guys were deliberating?”

GUTHRIE: “Not that I can recall, no.  Not that I can recall, that did not factor into the decision making, it was strictly based off of his actions in committing that foul.”