Nuggets' Nikola Jokic Suspended 1 Game, Markieff Morris Fined $50K for Altercation
Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has been disciplined by the league for his actions against Markieff Morris in Monday's game against the Miami Heat.
Per the NBA announcement, Jokic was suspended for one game, while Morris was fined $50,000 for a flagrant-2 foul prior to Jokic's retaliation. Jimmy Butler was also fined $30,000 for attempting to escalate the altercation.
The run-in between Jokic and Morris occurred in the fourth quarter of Denver's 113-96 win.
Morris initiated contact by throwing his shoulder into Jokic, who responded by barreling his shoulder into the Heat power forward's back.
Play was stopped for a few minutes as players from both teams got involved in the skirmish. The Heat medical staff brought out a stretcher when it looked like Morris was seriously injured, but he was able to walk off the floor under his own power.
The officials assessed Morris with a flagrant-2 foul, and Jokic received an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. They were both ejected from the game.
"It's a stupid play, I feel bad," Jokic told reporters after the game. "I'm not supposed to react that way. I got hit. I saw him, but I thought it was just gonna be like a take foul. But he bumped me and I was like, I think it was a dirty play and I just needed to protect myself."
The Heat announced Morris suffered an apparent neck injury as a result of the contact.
This marks only the second time in seven seasons that Jokic has been suspended by the NBA. The first came in January 2019 when he sat one game for leaving the bench during an altercation in a game between the Nuggets and Utah Jazz.
Jokic's suspension will also end his streak of consecutive regular-season games played at 157. The last time he didn't play was on April 7, 2019, against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Nuggets are off to a 6-4 start this season. They have alternated streaks of two consecutive wins and two consecutive losses through their first 10 games.
