Jamal Murray throws heat pack and flashes money gesture while Michael Malone loses it at ref as frustrated Nuggets go 2-0 down to Anthony Edwards’ T-Wolves
The Denver Nuggets are in big trouble.
The Minnesota Timberwolves stole Game 1 of the second round matchup against the defending champions largely thanks to Anthony Edwards doing his best Michael Jordan impersonation.
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Game 2 represented the chance for the Nuggets to even the series but Minnesota beat them up bad.
The T-Wolves led 61-35 at halftime and finished the game as 106-80 winners thanks to 27 point outings from Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Denver are becoming increasingly frustrated in the series and Jamal Murray let his emotions get the best of him during the first half blowout.
After what he believed was a missed call from the officials, the Nuggets guard threw a heat pack onto the court from the bench.
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There wasn’t a call on Murray but he could be staring down the barrel of a suspension for Game 3.
Journalist Keith Smith wrote on social media: “Jamal Murray should have either gotten a technical or gotten throw out. You can’t be throwing sh*t on the floor. That’s crazy dangerous.”
Former player turned ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins wrote: “It’s going to be interesting how the Nuggets are going to look in Game 3 without Murray … because he’s most likely getting suspended for throwing that Heat Pack.”
He also flashed the money sign to the refs at the start of the second quarter - something Rudy Gobert was recently fined $100K for.
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Murray wasn't the only member of the Nuggets who let his frustration get the best of him during the game.
Denver head coach Michael Malone berated veteran official Marc Davis at the perceived lack of fouls called against the Timberwolves on back-to-back possessions in the first half.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards says he's 'never jumped that high' after hitting his head on the rim of the hoop in game-saving block
Malone somehow managed to avoid getting a technical foul for his outburst and fans wanted to know why.
"I've seen head coaches get thrown out for less. Why is Mike Malone not ejected?" one person wrote on X.
"Charging a ref + screaming in his face = No Tech. Staring at a player = Tech Get this [expletive] fixed @NBAOfficial," another added.
"No tech on Malone after this is insane but players get techs for looking at a player following a dunk lmao," a third said.
"How is Malone not ejected there?" questioned another.
The Nuggets are completely out of sorts right now and Murray is the clearest example of that.
He's been battling a calf injury of late but only had 8 points on 3-of-18 shooting in Game 2.
Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 points while Nikola Jokic had 16 points and 16 rebounds but it barely made a dent on the Gobert-less Timberwolves, who missed the game due to the birth of his first child.
The Nuggets are in trouble and have it all to do in Game 3 back in Minnesota on Saturday.
Unfortunately for them, they may now be without a suspended Murray.
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