Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists before he was ejected for violently slamming his shoulder into Markieff Morris, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 113-96 today.
Will Barton scored 25 points and Jeff Green, who started in place of an injured Michael Porter Jr, added 13 points for the Nuggets, who held the opposition to under 100 points for the seventh time this season.
Jimmy Butler had 31 points to lead the Heat, and Duncan Robinson had 13.
With 2:39 remaining, Morris elbowed Jokic in the midsection at half court.
Jokic retaliated with a hard forearm shove from behind that knocked Morris to the floor. Morris rolled in pain as teammates pushed Jokic away. Medical personnel brought a stretcher onto the floor but Morris was able to get up and walk off on his own.
The Heat tweeted that Morris has an apparent neck injury and that he was moving around in the locker room.
Morris was assessed a flagrant foul and ejected, Jokic also was ejected and Butler received a technical foul.
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It’s expected Jokic will soon be suspended for the incident.
Meanwhile, Butler also made headlines as cameras captured the moment he appeared to be having some words with Jokic over the incident.
While fans across social media had plenty to say, so did Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
Spoelstra said Jokic made a “dirty play” before suggesting the incident would’ve been “uglier” if Morris saw what was coming his way.
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