xdrta+ wrote:So it's OK to react like he did against Markieff Morris, who has now missed 44 games with a spinal injury and who knows if or when he'll play again. Running into him from behind is OK with you, because he didn't like the way he was fouled.
So, felt like I should comment on this:
First thing I want to say is that I don't like how the NBA is being so lenient with punishment right now. This thing where a guy breaking rules with violence that causes injury only results in a 1 game suspension needs to stop. I don't think it's clear what the suspension for a Jokic or Grayson Allen play, but it feels like the NBA isn't really grappling with it. The NBA of David Stern was known for overreacting to stuff like this, and I don't want to go back to that ridiculous era, but I think there's a middle ground we can find.
And I'll tell you: If something like this made you refuse to consider Jokic for MVP, I really wouldn't have a problem with that...but I'm not comfortable ignoring a player who is actually playing when I do these evaluations.
But over to the Morris side, let me acknowledge that my first reaction toward him here was devoid of sympathy. The Morris brothers aren't just random NBA players, they have among the very worst reputations in the league as violent bullies, and so I really can't get behind the idea the foul against Jokic by Markieff was just an innocent thing. They were clearly doing the whole "make'em have to hurt, even if they beat you" thing, and when you do that, and the other person reacts, you brought it upon yourself. And when you bring it on yourself, and then afterward you continue to insult and threaten the guy you started this s**t with, you just make it that much easier for me to roll my eyes at you.
Then there's the matter of doing the quick dirty foul and walking away with your back to the guy. Morris was clearly thinking then - and has said so explicitly later - that if Jokic responded and hit him when he was walking away, that Jokic would be the one who looked weak. But that logic only works if you first stick around and dare the guy to get you from the front. When you turn your back right away, you're just making your body uniquely vulnerable to a counterattack...
Which is of course why Morris got so badly hurt despite Jokic clearly not actually attacking him like he would if were a more serious fight. If you really want to hurt somebody, you don't just shoulder check him. But when you turn your back on a guy you risk getting whiplash even from a shoulder push, particularly when the guy is a lot bigger than you...which is why you would never do this to a guy much bigger than you if you were just in some random place and focused on making sure you were protecting yourself.
But with all that said:
I hate that Markieff has been derailed like he has for so long now. I hope he gets back to 100% with godspeed, and if Jokic only got a short suspension because it was a first offense, well, Jokic needs to have a much more severe punishment if he ever hurts someone with non-basketball action on the court again.
