Jamal Murray, the guard for the Denver Nuggets, found himself facing a hefty $100,000 fine from the NBA. This punishment stemmed from an incident where Murray threw a towel and later a heat pack towards an official during live play. Fortunately for Murray, despite the substantial fine, he managed to evade a suspension, as announced by the league on Tuesday.
The controversial moment occurred during the second quarter of the Nuggets' match against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver was trailing by a significant margin, leading to mounting frustration among the players due to the officiating.
The spotlight fell on Murray when he tossed a heat pack onto the court from the end of Denver’s bench. This action caught the attention of viewers, especially as it happened amidst the on-court action just before a layup by Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns. While Murray's actions were conspicuous, the officiating crew remained unaware of the source of the object.
Chris Finch, the coach of the Timberwolves, didn't mince words, labeling Murray’s behavior as "inexcusable and dangerous." However, Murray left the arena without commenting on the incident, and Nuggets' coach Michael Malone avoided addressing it directly, claiming ignorance of Murray's involvement.
Before the heat pack incident, Murray had also tossed a towel in the direction of the officiating crew, although it went unnoticed by the officials. Murray's struggles on the court in Game 2, shooting 3-for-18 and scoring only eight points, compounded the frustration for the Nuggets. This performance followed a scoreless first half in Game 1, marking an unusual downturn for Murray in his playoff career.
As the Nuggets regroup following the loss, Murray's actions remain a point of discussion and scrutiny. The team's next opportunity to address the media comes after their practice on Wednesday.