Breaking News: Jamal Murray Throws Heat Pack During NBA Playoff Game 2
Denver Nuggets standout player Jamal Murray may face a suspension due to a risky incident that occurred on Tuesday. During the second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Nuggets were struggling in game 2 and frustration was mounting.
Murray had a difficult beginning to the game, but it was while he was on the bench that the unfortunate incident occurred. While in the paint, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns fought with Michael Porter Jr to gain possession of the ball.
Jamal Murray tonight:
– Threw a heat pad at the ref
– Made a money sign to the refs
– Clapped in their face twiceReceived 0 technical fouls.
pic.twitter.com/4M0aFBJSBU— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) May 7, 2024
The ball was knocked out of Towns’ grasp, but he recovered and missed a second shot, with teammate Kyle Anderson grabbing the rebound.
Jamal Murray was positioned at the far end of the bench and vented his frustration by throwing a heat pack that almost hit the basket as Towns scored with a layup.
Many spectators were shocked by the turn of events and were surprised that Murray was not penalized after replays of the incident were shown.
Jamal Murray threw a heat pack on the court during play and faced no consequences for doing so #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/dXh8tszcL1
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) May 7, 2024
Chris Finch, the Timberwolves head coach, described the situation as both unacceptable and perilous.
Journalist Keith Smith stated that Jamal Murray should have either received a technical foul or been ejected. It is unacceptable to throw garbage on the floor. “That is extremely risky.”
The former player who now works as an analyst, Kendrick Perkins, expressed that he is curious to see how the Nuggets will perform in Game 3 without Murray, as he is expected to be suspended for throwing the Heat Pack.
Nick Wright of Fox Sports 1 stated: “I’m unsure if he will do it, but I have the same thought.” I was surprised that this was not the main focus during halftime. During the regular season, it is a sure thing.
Tim Legler throws shade at Jamal Murray
“He was 3-for-18. I’m not shocked he missed Marc Davis with that heat pack.” 😅
(h/t @awfulannouncing )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 7, 2024
It was widely expected that the reigning NBA champions would even up the series at 1-1, but the Wolves had different plans.
The visiting Wolves unleashed a strong defensive effort that crushed Denver fans’ spirits with a 106-80 victory, giving them a 2-0 series lead.
The third game will be held in Minnesota at 11:30 am on Saturday (AEST). It is still unclear whether Murray will be available to play in the Nuggets’ upcoming game.