Not playing in the same conference, the Nuggets and the Heat usually meet only twice in a season, and have never had the opportunity to face each other in the NBA Finals before this year. That doesn’t leave much scope for creating a rivalry, but there is a little history between the two teams. With Nikola Jokic as the main actor.
Today is November 8, 2021.
That day, the Nuggets welcome the Heat to Denver for a match between two teams with a similar record (6-3). Denver dominates the game and quietly leads by 17 points with three minutes remaining. In short, there is much more to see. In any case, that’s what we believe.
After a defensive stop on the pivot of Miami Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jokic leaves in transition. He is stopped short by a quite gross fault of Markieff Morris, which kicks the Joker in the ribs. This stops the game. Except that it is specifically at this moment that everything will get carried away.
Jokic does not appreciate the fault of Morris at all, and decides to take revenge in stride. He rushes towards the Heat player then inflicts a violent shoulder blow on his back while the latter looks away. “OH NO !” exclaims the Nuggets commentator, well aware that the MVP has just flipped out.
Inevitably, several Miami players rush to the Joker, quickly defended by his teammates and his coach Michael Malone. Jimmy Butler – furious – even makes an appointment in the locker room with Nikola to settle it in street fight mode. After a few minutes and thanks to the intervention of the referees, the spirits calm down but the state of Morris worries. While Jokic has found his bench, Markieff – hit in the neck – stays on the ground for quite a long time and the stretcher is even out.
“To shove him like that in the back is a very dangerous action, a dirty play. It was completely out of place” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will say after the game. “I just wanted to protect myself, even I shouldn’t have answered like that” Jokic will answer.
Markieff Morris eventually got up on his own. He leaves the match all the same, not only because he took a big blow behind the head but also because his big fault is synonymous with expulsion. He will also take a $50,000 fine from the NBA. As for the Joker, he is obviously also excluded, and will receive a one-match suspension for his very bad gesture.
The Heat players wanted to have some words with Jokic outside the Nuggets locker room. 😨
(IG/aaronontiveroz) pic.twitter.com/5h1jENIYpn
— theScore (@theScore) November 9, 2021
When it’s time to return to the locker room, the Miami players intend to say a few words to Nikola Jokic, but Heat general manager Andy Elisburg is making sure things don’t get worse. On the other hand, the latter cannot do anything to prevent Markieff Morris and his brother to tangle with brothers Jokic on Twitter after the incident.
Marcus Morris effectively takes the defense of Markieff on the blue bird, condemning the violent gesture of the Joker. It does not take more for the Jokic Brothers to respond, they who create a Twitter account especially for the occasion. They point out that the first bad move in history was made by Morris, and that they are ready to take it to the next level if necessary.
The Jokic brothers made a Twitter account just to respond to Marcus Morris 👀 (h/t @msinger) pic.twitter.com/S5pnSjfytS
— Overtime (@overtime) November 9, 2021
Finally, the beef between the two camps will not go further. And Markieff Morris, who missed no less than four months of competition after this incident, is no longer in Miami today. Chapter closed then.
Nevertheless, something tells us that Erik Spoelstra’s men who were there that day have not forgotten this episode. This could well revive some tensions during the 2023 Finals…
“P**sy ass sh*t! Bring that sh*t! Bring yo ass to the back!” – Jimmy Butler
Nuggets-Heat for a whole series🔥🔥
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 30, 2023
2023-05-31 17:09:00
#Flashback #laltercation #Nikola #Jokic #Markieff #Morris
