In Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray committed an unusual act by throwing a heating pad onto the court while the game was live. This incident occurred during the second quarter, with Murray on the bench and Karl-Anthony Towns scoring for Minnesota.
Crew chief Marc Davis stated that Murray should have been assessed a technical foul, although not ejected, for his action. Davis explained that they were unaware the heat pack came from the bench until after Towns scored. Had they known, they could have reviewed the incident as a hostile act, resulting in a technical foul.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch labeled Murray’s action as “dangerous” and “inexcusable,” expressing concern over its potential implications. He emphasized the need for the officiating crew to address such incidents promptly.
Davis clarified that an ejection would require determining whether the item was thrown directly at someone or out of frustration. Murray, who had a challenging game statistically, left the arena without speaking to reporters, while Nuggets coach Michael Malone expressed unawareness of the incident.
Malone also engaged with Davis during the game, voicing his disagreement over a call involving Murray and Towns. Davis did not penalize Malone for his actions, stating that Malone did not make any unsportsmanlike remarks.
Despite the Nuggets trailing 0-2 in the series, there remains hope among the team, with star player Nikola Jokic expressing determination to fight back in the subsequent games.
The historical context highlights the rarity of teams overcoming such deficits in playoff series, underscoring the challenge the Nuggets face in reversing their fortunes against the Timberwolves.
