Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic was sending a message

On a beautiful fall evening in Denver on Monday, things quickly turned dark at Ball Arena despite the Denver Nuggets lighting up the scoreboard against the visiting Miami Heat.

Will Barton and Nikola Jokic led the way, sealing an eventual 113-96 win with dominant 25-point performances and a triple-double from the MVP.

The win was a big one for Denver, but not as big as the cloud of doom that would soon loom over Ball Arena after Miami Heat forward Markieff Morris took a hard foul on Jokic with 2:39 left in the game and Jokic responded with a shoulder to the back of Morris, causing him to tumble to the ground.

Morris has since been fined $50,000 following the scuffle, and Jimmy Butler was also slapped with a $30,000 fine after the NBA determined his involvement in the skirmish that ensued was over the line.

Jokic has been suspended one game without pay and will miss tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers back at Ball Arena. Jokic’s decision was a major one and could have some defining aspects to it as the Nuggets journey on through the 2021-22 season.

The reigning MVP responded with anger and vigor that likely were built prior to the stunt Morris pulled. The response had little to do with Morris, and more to do with the message Jokic was trying to send to the league: Denver, along with their MVP deserves some respect.

Jokic wants to know that he’s being protected the way an MVP should be like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Stephen Curry. He wants to make sure the league knows the Nuggets are not pushovers and after a triple-double performance against a quality defensive big, Jokic wanted to let it be known the Nuggets are not soft.

The problem with Jokic’s decision was the safety of his fellow NBA players, including Morris as well as his own team. Nikola would later tell media that he was “just in the moment” and sounded regretful in his postgame press conference.

Jokic’s brothers were also in attendance and a feud has now started between the Jokic brothers and the Morris twins on Twitter, only amping up the anticipation for Denver’s upcoming matchup on 29 Nov. in Miami. Jokic’s brothers are notorious for defending the MVP passionately at games, often near the action.

Denver will need to stay focused as they inch their way forward in the Western Conference and try to build on their recent success at home. If they want the respect Jokic feels they deserve, Denver will need to keep it going against the Pacers without their MVP for the first time this season.

Jokic has been Denver’s everything, ranking near the top of the league in rebounding and box plus/minus. Will Barton has also come on strong of late, notching his second-highest scoring total of the season in Denver’s victory over the Heat.

Barton will once again be leaned on heavily for scoring as the Nuggets will now be without their top three scoring threats in Jokic, Jamal Murray and the recently hobbled Michael Porter Jr.