Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic Ejected After Shoving Markieff Morris; Heat PF Also Tossed

The end of Monday's Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets game was mired by a confrontation between Heat forward Markieff Morris and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

After Morris bumped him near midcourt, Jokic retaliated with a cheap shot by elbowing him hard in the back. The incident caused a skirmish between the two teams, and officials ejected both players for their actions.

Heat star Jimmy Butler was particularly fired up, jawing at the Denver players and staff members long after the play.

Morris was down for a while, and a stretcher was brought out before he walked off the floor under his own power.

The Heat announced that Morris suffered a neck injury and, his status will be updated as they continue to evaluate him. Miami lost the road game 113-96, and the coaches and players left the floor without interacting.

"Just wanted to make sure that 'Kieff was and is OK," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game, adding that Morris is set to undergo further tests. "We'll find out more. He's moving around right now in the locker room, but that was a very dangerous, dirty play."

Spoelstra explained that he thought Morris was attempting to take a foul to stop Denver's fast break. He acknowledged that Morris led with his shoulder instead of slapping at the ball, but he believes there was no malicious intent. Spoelstra added that the situation could've gone worse.

"That's just absolutely uncalled for, and it would've looked a lot different. This whole thing could've been a whole lot uglier if Markieff was actually facing Jokic," Spoelstra said. "The fact that he had his back turned, and he made a play like that, blindsiding him, that was just a very dangerous play."

Prior to his ejection, Jokic recorded his first triple-double of the season with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Denver improved to 6-4 with the win and Miami fell to 7-3.

The Nuggets and Heat will face off again later this month in Miami on Monday, Nov. 29.