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The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat have had their fair share of heated moments in recent memory. However, the hard fouls from Nikola Jokic and Markieff Morris in 2021 on one another sparked their rivalry. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal spoke with Morris about the play, questioning whether or not the foul was dirty. He argued against what Morris did against Jokic.
While the two-time MVP is not a dirty player, Jokic is definitely a physical one. His passing and shooting ability are his calling cards. However, the Serbian superstar is a capable bruiser, setting the tone for Denver down low. The physicality he plays with has led to multiple confrontations throughout his career, including the one with Morris in 2021.
At the time, Morris was a role player on a Heat team coming off a deep playoff run. Miami's success relied on their toughness, and their entire roster embodied their rough style of play. In O'Neal's opinion, though, the contact between Morris and Jokic was unnecessary. The former Lakers center defended Denver's big man on Wednesday's episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq.
“I know, but you’re my boy,” O'Neal told Morris. “And I know if I hit you, you’re going to hit me back and I know if you hit me I’m going to hit you back. So if you hit him first and he hits you back that’s a cheap shot?”
“If he hit me from behind I think that’s a cheap shot,” Morris said, defending himself. “I’m physically walking away so I’m not even like in the mode of knowing you’re about to hit me. It’s like a car crash.”
Jokic and the Nuggets got their revenge against the Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals. Denver beat Miami 4-1 in that series to help their center secure the first title of his career. However, the clash between him and Morris is near the top of the list of instances where an opposing player challenged Jokic physically.
