Sometimes when a player keeps getting fouled without any calls, they can get frustrated at the situation, and angry at the lack of foul calls. It seems as though that has recently happened to Nikola Jokic, and he took that frustration out on his opponent.
During the matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat, Nikola Jokic got ejected for shoving Markieff Morris, after the two traded fouls earlier. There’s no doubt that the ejection was justified based on the footage, and it’s clear that Nikola Jokic’s frustration simply boiled over the top.
Jokic and Markieff Morris both got ejected after exchanging fouls during Nuggets-Heat.
Morris was hurt but walked off the floor under his own power. https://t.co/ReXnjRTHzu
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 9, 2021
While Markieff Morris did end up being fine after the incident, it’s clear that this sort of action is unacceptable. Aside from it being not good on a basic human level, there’s also the fact that getting ejected sets a bad example, especially for the reigning MVP. Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets were safely in control of the game too, so Nikola Jokic could simply have waited it out.
The action provoked a response from Jimmy Butler, who reportedly said told Nikola Jokic to come to “the back” in the heat of the moment. Luckily, there was no further escalation of the situation.
“BRING YOUR ASS TO THE BACK” pic.twitter.com/2pQk3MTvWN
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 9, 2021
It remains to be seen if there will be any further action on this incident. Nikola Jokic is a passionate player, but there are situations where you have to tone that passion down.
Perhaps we’ll see a comment from Nikola Jokic on this incident in the future, but hopefully, it won’t happen again. There’s no place for violent actions in the league, and that is no different for Nikola Jokic.
