National Basketball Association

Marcus Morris Sr.'s big Game 7 was even sweeter with his brother in the building

Updated Jun. 8, 2021 11:45 a.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

There was no question whether Markieff Morris would be there for his twin brother.

Just three days after his Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs, Markieff returned to Staples Center. The sharp pangs of disappointment were still fresh, but he shrugged them aside because he had a job to do.

He was on reconnaissance duty.

Markieff's brother, Marcus Morris Sr., a power forward for the LA Clippers, was about to play in Game 7 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Markieff sat near the baseline. He closely analyzed the Mavericks' defensive approach. During a stoppage in play, as both teams were lined up around the free-throw line, he delivered a message to his brother.

"Dallas was slacking off the shooters yesterday trying to clog the paint," Markieff told FOX Sports. "I just told him, 'Be ready.'"

Marcus took those words to heart.

He camped out beyond the 3-point line as the Mavericks double-teamed Kawhi Leonard, continually swishing shots from the arc, punishing Dallas over and over again for mistakenly giving him space. When defenders started collapsing on him, it was too late: He had found his stroke, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.

Marcus blew the game open for the Clippers, finishing with 23 points, including going 7-for-9 from beyond the arc in the team's 126-111 win. He became the second player in Game 7 history to make that many 3s, alongside Stephen Curry.

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Nothing could've eased Markieff's suffering more.

"[Sunday] was real big," Markieff said. "He's been — I wouldn't say struggling — but he's been off on his shot a little bit from 3. But [Sunday] it clicked. I was just happy to be there to watch it happen."

The Morris brothers have always been extremely close. They grew up in Philadelphia before playing together at the University of Kansas from 2008 to 2011, laughing off any college offers that tried to separate them. They entered the NBA draft together in 2011, with Markieff selected as the 13th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns and Marcus as the 14th pick by the Houston Rockets. They even have nearly identical tattoos.

Over the past 10 seasons, they've leaned on each other for survival.

In a league that often leaves players feeling overwhelmed and isolated, they've had a friend they love and trust at their side, someone who understands the roller coaster. It has had profound reverberations for them both.

"It's extremely helpful," Markieff said. "We're both dealing with the same things. We've both been in different places and been able to experience the league, how things work. That's why I think we've been around so long — because both of us coach each other through it."

Last season, Markieff's Lakers won a championship while Marcus' Clippers imploded in the second round, blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets.

This time around, Markieff's season combusted, and Marcus is advancing to a second-round series against the top-seeded Utah Jazz, with Game 1 set for Tuesday.

When I asked Markieff if there's ever any jealousy between the brothers, he choked back laughter as if the suggestion were absurd.

They truly view each other's successes as their own.

"No jealousy," he said. "We're extremely happy for each other. We look at it as a family thing. It's unfortunate, I'm still sick about us losing this year, and I know he was the same last year. But [he] gives me hope to bring another championship to the family, and that's what I'm focused on now."

Markieff plans on closely watching all of Marcus' games against the Jazz. They'll talk before, after and during the contests, perfecting Marcus' strategy.

For Marcus, it's a huge source of support.

"That's just normal for us," Marcus said. "Win, lose or draw, either team, family's first. He's going to always come out and support me as I do for him. He's watching it from a basketball mind and showing me stuff, telling me to slow down. Just little things that he see during the game, and obviously, it helps. He's always coaching me. We've been doing that since we were kids, so I wouldn't expect anything less."

But before the brothers pour themselves into trying to figure out how the Clippers can advance past the second round for the first time in franchise history, they allowed themselves a moment of celebration.

Marcus had just played brilliantly on the biggest of stages, and they wanted to mark the occasion.

After the game, they had dinner and watched the boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul or, as Markieff jokingly called it, "The Floyd hug fest."

It was the perfect way to cap off a wonderful evening. They were together.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.