Denver Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray was slapped with a large fine, but not a suspension, by the NBA after throwing a towel and heating pad in the direction of an official during the team’s Game 2 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night.
Murray was fined $100,000 for his actions, which the league announced in a release from Joe Dumars, executive vice president and head of basketball operations.
Murray was spotted tossing a towel toward an official before a Nuggets staff member quickly whisked it away and before the official had a chance to step on it and potentially cause an injury. Then, Murray threw a heating pad in the official’s direction, and teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope picked it up and tossed it to the sideline.
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Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets celebrates after a foul is called on the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Ball Arena May 6, 2024 in Denver, Colo. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
During the two incidents, play continued and there were no whistles from the official.
After the game, T-Wolves head coach Chris Finch called Murray’s actions “inexcusable” and “dangerous.”
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The official crew chief for the night, Marc Davis, also said he never saw Murray toss the objects in real time, but it would’ve been a reviewable situation if he or one of his crew members saw it happening.
However, Murray wouldn’t have been ejected, but rather been hit with a technical foul.
Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets looks for a foul call against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Ball Arena May 6, 2024, in Denver, Colo. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
“For an ejection, you would have to determine it was thrown directly at somebody versus thrown in frustration,” Davis told a pool reporter.
Murray had an atrocious game shooting in the 106-80 blowout at home against Minnesota. He was just 3 of 18 shooting and had eight points, though he finished with 13 rebounds. Murray did not speak with reporters after the game, quickly leaving the arena.
Murray is usually a sharpshooter who can take on the scoring load if need be for the Nuggets, especially in last year’s postseason. However, he’s struggled shooting, and a calf strain, which he continues to play through, may have something to do with it.
Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets plays the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Ball Arena May 6, 2024, in Denver, Colo. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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The Nuggets will hope Murray can both keep his cool and get hot from the field as the series moves to Minnesota, where Denver finds itself down two games to none in the best-of-seven series.
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