Jokic tossed after shouldering Heat's Morris from behind
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was ejected late in Monday's contest against the Miami Heat after hitting Markieff Morris from behind.
Morris bumped Jokic after the latter wasn't whistled for a foul on Heat center Bam Adebayo. The reigning NBA MVP immediately retaliated by throwing his shoulder into Morris as he walked away.
Nikola Jokic clobbers Markieff Morris from behind late in the fourth quarter and things get intense. pic.twitter.com/9RclknqIKB
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) November 9, 2021
Morris remained on the floor for several moments as Miami's medical staff evaluated him. The 32-year-old forward walked off the floor under his own power with what the Heat called an apparent neck injury.
Markieff Morris is back on his feet after the cheap shot. pic.twitter.com/A56icZKpoV
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) November 9, 2021
Morris was assessed a flagrant-2 foul, while Jokic received an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. Both players were ejected from the game.
No Miami players were made available to the media postgame. However, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra shared his thoughts on the sequence involving Jokic and Morris.
"That was a very dangerous, dirty play," Spoelstra told reporters postgame. "I thought Keef took a foul. It was one of those fast-break take fouls, and he did it with his shoulder.
"You might deem that as maybe a little bit more than slapping somebody, but after I watched it on film, it was a take foul. That's how I saw it. And the play after, that's just absolutely uncalled for."
Jokic expressed remorse following the game after seeing footage of the incident.
"I don't know who showed me the clip but (Morris') head snapped back. I felt really bad," Jokic said, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
Denver won Monday's contest 113-96.