Denver, Colorado – Jamal Murray, point guard for the Denver Nuggets, caused a stir during the team’s playoff loss by throwing a heat pack onto the court, potentially facing disciplinary action for his unsportsmanlike behavior on Monday night.
The incident occurred during the second quarter as Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns drove for a layup, with Murray sitting at the far end of Denver’s bench. The defending champion Denver Nuggets suffered a 106-80 loss to the Timberwolves, putting them in a challenging 2-0 deficit in the conference semifinals.
Both Towns and Reggie Jackson of Denver came close to stepping on the heat pack before Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope noticed the object and removed it from the court. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch condemned Murray’s actions, labeling them as “inexcusable and dangerous.”
Despite the incident, Murray left the dressing room before reporters could inquire about the situation, leaving many unanswered questions about the motivation behind his actions. The public address announcer later cautioned fans against tossing objects onto the court, but it was evident to the coaches that the heat pack likely originated from the bench rather than a fan in the stands.
Referee Marc Davis admitted that he did not notice the heat pack on the floor until after Towns scored, highlighting the possibility of a technical foul for Murray if the officials had seen him throw it. However, the referees were unaware of the source of the object, which could have led to a technical foul if attributed to the bench.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone claimed to have no knowledge of how the heat pack ended up on the court, indicating a lack of awareness of the situation from the coaching staff. The tense moment overshadowed the Timberwolves’ strong performance, leaving a shadow over the game’s outcome and potential repercussions for Murray’s actions.