Nuggets’ Jamal Murray fined $100K for throwing heat pack on court in loss to Timberwolves

National Basketball Association

Published May. 7, 2024 7:43 p.m. ET

Star Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has earned a large fine — but not a suspension — from the NBA after he lost his cool on the bench and tossed a heat pack onto the court during a 106-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Monday night.

Murray was fined $100,000 by the NBA for “throwing multiple objects in the direction of a game official during live play,” the league office announced Tuesday.

Sitting on the bench in the second quarter, Murray tossed a the toward the court after a layup by Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns. There wasn’t a call on Murray, but a warning from the public address announcer to the crowd not to throw objects onto the floor.

In a pool report, official Marc Davis said the crew wasn’t aware the object came from the bench. Had they known, “we could have reviewed it under the hostile act trigger. The penalty would have been a technical foul,’ he said.

Murray could be looking at a fine. He was not available to speak with reporters after the game.

The play didn’t sit well with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.

‘We tried to impress upon them that there’s probably not many fans in the building that have a heat pack,” said Finch, whose team has won six straight playoff games, including a sweep of Phoenix in the first round. ‘So, it probably had to come from the bench, which they found logical. But yeah, it’s inexcusable and dangerous and, you know, I’m sure it was just a mistake and an oversight. I’m sure there was nothing intentional about the officiating at all. But certainly can’t allow it to happen.”

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves forced Denver into 34.9% shooting and countless turnovers. Murray was 3 of 18 from the floor.

The Nuggets have a few days to regroup, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday.

“The body language of our guys is not where I think it needs to be,” Malone said. “We just got beat up in our building. We got embarrassed in front of our fans.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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