The NBA playoffs can be very physical, and the Maverick-Clippers Western Conference first-round series was just that. The Clippers would win the series 4-2 after defeating Dallas 111-97 in Game 6 on Sunday.
An interesting subplot in this series was the battle between Luka Doncic and Marcus Morris Sr. The two had altercations in Games 1 and 5. In Game 5, Morris stepped on Doncic’s injured ankle, and in Game 6, Morris was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Doncic in the first quarter.
Here’s the play:
Marcus Morris Sr. has been ejected following excess contact on Luka Doncic. pic.twitter.com/jP7LaSAzn4
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) August 30, 2020
After the game, Doncic reacted to Morris’ foul:
“It was a terrible foul,” Doncic, who 38 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in Game 6, said. “That is two games in a row that he did something like that. I really had hoped that last game it wasn’t on purpose, but looking back now after this game, I think so. I don’t want to deal with those kinds of players and just move on.”
Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle added: “The play speaks for itself. If you get into speculation about previous games — you have to ask the league about that. They looked at it. As soon as this play (today) happened in real-time, I knew he was getting ejected; I knew it was a flagrant two. It’s just an unnecessary play and unfortunate.”
When you average 31.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game in a series, like Doncic did against the Clippers, you will be a target, and the Clippers were very physical with the second-year player, which will only help him moving forward.
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