Marcus Morris was ejected during his debut with the New York Knicks, seemingly agitated by Washington Wizards forward Justin Anderson, The forward was the best player in the first half of Monday's preseason game, but threw it all away with an unnecessary ejection, one he now regrets:
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to be a better professional and stay in the game,” Morris said after the game, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Only 13 seconds into the third quarter, Anderson face-guarded Morris, who was clearly agitated and caught his defender with a swinging elbow. Since Anderson didn’t budge, Morris bounced the ball on his head — a move that ensued in the two trading shoves:
Streetball.
Marcus Morris got ejected for purposely hitting Justin Anderson in the head with the ball 😳 pic.twitter.com/mOEDsajWCH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 8, 2019
Following the game, the new Knicks forward expressed regret for his actions:
“My team needs me. I’ve got to be smart, set a better example,” said Morris, leaving one last thing very clear. “But like I said in the beginning, we’re not taking any s**t. So it is what it is.”
The Knicks signed Morris not only for his rousing season with the Boston Celtics and his shooting ability, but also for his motor and toughness. These type of interactions are something that unfortunately comes with the territory, as his temper has been known to flare on occasion when facing guys like Anderson, who was trying to impress his coach as he battles for a roster spot.
Morris is expected to switch between small and power forward in his first season with the Knicks, already impressing his coach David Fizdale with a 17-point, seven-rebound first half.
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