Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic ejected with flagrant foul 2 for hard swipe at Phoenix Suns' Cameron Payne

(1:24)As the Denver Nuggets edged closer to playoff elimination, league MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected from Sunday night's game with a flagrant foul 2 after taking a wild swing in frustration at Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne."I wanted to change the rhythm of the game, I wanted to give us some energy, maybe change the whistle a little bit, so I wanted to make a hard foul," Jokic said. So I say sorry if I did because I did not want to injure him or hit him in the head on purpose."Following a lengthy review, Jokic was handed the flagrant 2 and ejected from Game 4 of Denver's Western Conference semifinal series with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter and the Nuggets trailing the Suns by eight."I thought honestly they would not eject me," Jokic said.With Jokic out, the Suns went on to win 125-118 to advance to the Western Conference finals, completing a 4-0 sweep at Denver. It happens."Nikola Jokic explains what he was trying to do when he was ejected for a hard foul on Cameron Payne as the Nuggets get swept by the Suns.A flagrant 2 is defined as being "unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent.""At replay review we saw windup, impact, and follow-through, which lead to unnecessary and excessive contact above the shoulders and also into the face.