Nikola Jokic ejected after laying out Markieff Morris with low cost shot in ultimate minutes of Warmth-Nuggets recreation

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected from the Denver Nuggets‘ win over the Miami Heat on Monday night time after delivering an inexpensive shot to Markieff Morris within the closing minutes of the sport. The medical workers initially introduced a stretcher onto the ground for Morris — who was additionally ejected from the competition — however he was capable of stroll off on his personal. Jokic was formally given an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, whereas Morris was assessed a flagrant foul 2. 

With underneath two minutes to play, Jokic secured a rebound and was bringing the ball up the ground when Morris barreled into him from the facet. The refs blew the whistle for a foul, and Morris walked away. A livid Jokic got here after him and delivered a shoulder into Morris’ again, which despatched him sprawling. 

“It is a silly play, I really feel dangerous,” Jokic said. “I am not speculated to react that method. I obtained hit. I noticed him, however I assumed it was simply gonna be like a take foul. However he bumped me and I used to be like, I feel it was a grimy play and I simply wanted to guard myself.”

Gamers, coaches and safety workers instantly rushed to the center of the courtroom and Jokic was pulled away by Nuggets coach Michael Malone. Because the scrum continued, Jimmy Butler appeared significantly upset, yelling and gesturing for somebody to come back at him. Nothing got here of that, nonetheless, save for Butler receiving a technical foul, and issues quickly calmed down whereas the medical personnel attended to Morris. 

The veteran ahead stayed down on the ground for a while, and so they even introduced out a stretcher as a precaution. Fortunately, he didn’t want it and was capable of stand up and stroll off on his personal. The Warmth introduced that he has a neck injury and can bear additional analysis. “He is transferring round within the locker room proper now,” Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned. “We’ll do the required assessments and do what we have to do (to) be sure that he is OK.

“That was a really harmful, soiled play,” Spoelstra continued. “I assumed Keef took a foul and it was a kind of fast-break take fouls. And he did it along with his shoulder. You may deem that possibly as a bit bit extra than simply the slapping stuff. Proper after I watched it on movie, it was a take foul. That is how I noticed it. And the play after that, that is simply completely uncalled for.”

Even the brothers of the concerned gamers obtained concerned because the Jokic Brothers responded to Markieff’s brother, Marcus Morris, who tweeted “Waited til bro turned his again smh. NOTED:”

As for Morris, the Warmth veteran tweeted Tuesday morning about what went down the night time earlier than:

Jokic’s response was a complete overreaction, and there is not any place within the recreation for hitting guys with low cost pictures within the again. You merely can’t be doing that. On the identical time, there are not any harmless events right here. Morris knew precisely what he was doing working throughout the courtroom to ship a tough, pointless foul within the ultimate minute of a blowout. 

Whereas some conditions are settled on the courtroom with an ejection, this one goes to demand additional motion from the league. Jokic is sort of definitely going to get suspended, however what number of video games stays to be seen. That is dangerous information for the Nuggets, who’re already with out Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr. (again) because of accidents.