NBA crew chief Scott Foster explained the referees' decision to assess Marcus Morris a flagrant foul penalty 2 and eject him from Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN asked Foster why his crew decided to eject Morris, to which Foster stated that the foul of the Clippers vet on Mavs guard Luka Doncic was deemed unnecessary.
“During the replay review we saw a windup, impact and follow through to the head and neck area of Doncic,” Foster said, via Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “By our standards that is unnecessary and excessive contact which by definition is a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2.”
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers clearly disagreed with Foster's crew.
Rivers said during a TV timeout that he felt Morris was ejected because of his reputation, adding his belief the 30-year-old journeyman was only making a play on the ball.
Meanwhile, Doncic was incredibly displeased after the game, also citing the incident where the Clippers vet stepped on his previously injured left ankle during Game 5.
“It was a terrible play,” Luka Doncic said on the latest hard foul of Marcus Morris. “What can I say? It’s two games in a row he did something like that. I really hoped the first game it wasn’t on purpose, but looking back on the foul this game, you know what I think.”
The question now becomes: what will the NBA make of Morris' status in advance of the conference semifinals?
Foster said Sunday's crew did not take the Game 5 incident into account. However, Morris has now taken center stage in the last two games, both times for rather unsavory tactics. It is possible the Clippers forward could face further discipline from the league office.
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