Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić was ejected for shoving a player late in Monday's game.
With 2:39 left to play in a 113-96 Nuggets victory over the Miami Heat, Jokić was fouled hard near midcourt, as Miami tried to stop the clock and send Denver to the line. Last season's Most Valuable Player took exception with the foul from Heat forward Markieff Morris, and after Morris had turned around and walked away, Jokić charged and lowered his shoulder and right forearm into Morris' back, sending Morris to the court.
Nuggets (6-4) coach Michael Malone ran onto the court to separate Jokić from a scrum of Heat players who got in his face and escorted Jokić back toward the Denver bench.
WHITE HOUSE VISIT:Giannis gives speech as Bucks become first NBA team to visit White House since 2016
Denver held a 17-point lead at the time of the foul.
"It's a stupid play," Jokić said after the game. "I feel bad. I am not supposed to react that way. ... I think it was a dirty play. And I just needed to protect myself. I felt bad. I am not supposed to react that way, but I need to protect myself."
Morris, whose head snapped back after he was shoved from behind, was writhing around on the court for several minutes after the foul.
"That was a very dangerous and dirty play," Heat (7-3) coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Keef took a foul, and it was one of those fastbreak take fouls, and he did with his shoulder. You might deem that maybe as a little bit more than just slapping somebody, but after watching it on film, it was a take foul. That's how I saw it. And the play after, that's just absolutely uncalled for."
Several Heat players were upset after the Jokić foul, including star forward Jimmy Butler, who yelled and gestured toward Jokić. Butler had to be restrained and was issued a technical foul for his actions. Morris was also ejected from the game after his hard foul was deemed to be a flagrant 2 foul.
Jokić, 26, could now face discipline from the NBA. The Nuggets next play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday after they were already missing guard Jamal Murray and forward Michael Porter Jr. to injuries. The team could be without its three top scorers from last season.
The ejection marred what was an otherwise excellent game for Jokić, who registered a triple-double with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Source link
