Monday’s game between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets turned ugly late in the fourth quarter and resulted in an injury to one player.
With the Nuggets leading 111-94 with just under three minutes left, Heat forward Markieff Morris gave Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic a blow to the ribs as he brought the ball up the floor. Jokic responded with a cheap shot to Morris’ back that knocked him down and sparked a skirmish.
Morris remained down on the court for a prolonged period. At one point, a stretcher was even brought in, and Morris had to be stabilized. He would eventually walk off under his own power, though.
Jokic was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct foul and Morris was given a Flagrant 2 foul. Both players were ejected from the game.
Heat star Jimmy Butler was not happy about the cheap shot and could be seen challenging Jokic from the other sideline.
After the game, the Heat said that Morris had sustained “an apparent neck injury.” Head coach Erik Spoelstra added that Morris was moving around in the locker room and that he would undergo further tests.
It is true that Morris’ initial foul was both unnecessary and excessive, likely out of frustration that the Heat were down big. But for Jokic to retaliate with a violent blow when Morris had his back turned to him was completely uncalled for and could result in a lengthy suspension.
Both players do have a history of this kind of behavior. Morris is a notorious instigator. As for Jokic, he had a similar cheap shot on Phoenix’s Cam Payne in last year’s playoffs.
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