Jokic suspended 1 game by NBA, Morris and Butler fined
MIAMI
— After Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Miami’s Markieff Morris hit one another, the NBA hit back.
And the reigning MVP took the worst of that.
Jokic has been suspended one game for shoving Morris in the back, the league announced Tuesday night. That means Jokic won’t play on Wednesday when the Nuggets host Indiana.
Morris won’t be playing on Wednesday, either: The Heat said he has a neck injury, diagnosed as whiplash, and has been ruled out from Miami’s matchup at the Los Angeles Lakers.
Morris was fined $50,000 for his role in the mess, and Heat forward Jimmy Butler drew a $30,000 fine “for attempting to escalate the altercation and failing to comply with an NBA Security interview as part of the review process pertaining to an on-court matter,” the league said.
The NBA’s decision was the last salvo in a wild day following Monday night’s scuffle in Denver, one that prompted the brothers of the two players who had the starring roles in the dustup to take their anger to Twitter.
“It’s a situation that I think we’ll all learn from, not allowing emotions to get the best of us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Tuesday, a few hours before the decision by NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell was announced.
Emotions were clearly not under control Monday night.
It all started late in the Denver-Miami game, shortly after the Heat ire was raised when no call was made after they thought Jokic fouled Bam Adebayo. Morris stopped play a few seconds later by intentionally crashing into Jokic from the side, a foul that referees called flagrant. Jokic then blindsided Morris with a hard shove from behind. Heat players were livid at what they perceived to be a cheap shot from Jokic, and so was Marcus Morris — Markieff Morris’twin and fellow NBA player.
“A stupid play,” Jokic conceded. “I feel bad.”
It all adds up to an ugly mess for the NBA, which surely wasn’t thrilled by either foul or any of the shenanigans that followed, including a scene captured in a photo from the Denver Post that showed Heat players lined up outside their locker room postgame, not far from the Denver locker room. The newspaper reported that Butler “yelled down the hallway, telling Nuggets players they know where Miami’s bus was par ked.”
Denver visits Miami on Nov. 29. The Nuggets don’t face the Clippers, Marcus Morris’ team, again until Dec. 26. (AP)