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DALLAS Mavericks star Luka Doncic, and most of the fans who saw the play, had no doubt in their mind that there was intent to hurt by the LA Clippers’ Marcus Morris on a controversial play in the Game. Six of his NBA playoff on Monday.
Doncic was trying to get to the basket against Morris and had bitten past it when his arms began to tangle. Morris swung his arm down hard, seeming to hit Doncic in the head or neck area and knock him onto the court.
The referees reviewed the play and determined that it was a flagrant foul 2, which resulted in an automatic expulsion.
“Terrible foul,” Doncic said of the karate hit afterward. “Two games in a row he did something like that. I really hoped the first one wasn’t on purpose, but looking back at the lack of this game, you know what I think,” Doncic said. “I don’t want to deal with that type of player.”
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Clippers head coach Doc Rivers disagreed, calling it a “reputational discard” and no more than a hard foul by Morris.
“I thought he made a play with a ball and hit him on the head. The whole game happens. I think it was a loss of reputation, but you have to live with it, “added Rivers.” I love the intensity of Marcus. Yes, he is a tough guy. He doesn’t back down and I love that. “
Morris denied that he had intended to hurt on his part, saying the umpires simply “had to make the decision.”
“I thought it was a tough foul, I ended up putting it over his shoulders,” Morris said. “I just don’t want people to confuse playing basketball, playing rough with trying to hurt someone.”
Amid mounting clamor for punishment, the Clippers forward said none of his actions in the series warranted suspension.
“It’s not that I didn’t touch any of the ball. I didn’t finish, I didn’t do any of that. It was a hard foul. [to prevent] one and one, “he said.” Unfortunately, I hit him over the shoulders and that’s the rule in the NBA, you go over the shoulder, he becomes a blatant-2.
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“But no, I don’t think so, I hope not. The guys are playing hard and we are sacrificing ourselves, I don’t think these guys should leave anyone out, especially in games of this caliber.”
