What If the League Had Suspended Jamal Murray For Game 3?

Chris Finch said he didn’t see Jamal Murray throw a heating pad and a towel onto the court in Game 2. Anthony Edwards said he didn’t, either. Karl-Anthony Towns said he did, but he was focused on scoring after he missed his first shot.

“I saw it,” he said. “I just was worried about making the layup. Ain't gonna lie to you.”

Towns was probably telling the truth. He looked perplexed when the play stopped. But therein lies the problem with Murray’s actions. The heating pad slides in front of Towns and hits Reggie Jackson’s foot, and he kicks it away. After Towns makes the layup, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope points to the heating pad, picks it up, and throws it away. NBA referee Mark Davis sees it and stops play.

“I didn’t actually see it happen,” said Finch. “But when it was explained to me, the referees didn’t see it either, so they’re not able to issue a technical unless they see it. We tried to impress upon them that there are probably not many fans in the building that have a heat pack. So, it probably had to come from the bench, which they found logical. It’s inexcusable and dangerous. I’m sure it was just a mistake and an oversight.”

The officials did not assess Murray a technical foul, but they fined him $100,000 for throwing the towel and the heating pad. However, they did not fine him for making a money gesture toward the officials and didn’t suspend him for Game 3. At the time, it felt like they would have been heavy-handed in suspending him for the first game in Minneapolis. No team has come back from a 3-0 deficit, and many pundits

“I wasn’t disappointed in the league’s decision,” Finch said. “Not because necessarily [because] I agreed. It was simply I never, ever, ever expected them to suspend him. I thought they would throw a heavy fine. There hasn’t really been much precedent for suspending people, certainly in the playoffs, unless it’s a repeat offense. Whether it is or it isn’t a suspendable thing doesn’t matter now.”

Minnesota held Murray to under 20 points in the first two games. However, he went 11 for 21 in Game 3, tying Nikola Jokic with a team-high 24 points. Murray is battling a calf injury but looked healthier after three days off between Games 2 and 3. The Nuggets won 117-90, breaking Minnesota’s six-game playoff win streak. Denver took both games in Minneapolis and won at home for the first time in Game 5, placing the Wolves on the brink of elimination.

"The heat pack was kind of [Murray’s] signature moment in the series. I just can't believe he wasn't suspended," Bill Simmons

If the Wolves won Game 3 without Murray, they may have put Denver in an insurmountable 3-0 deficit. However, the Nuggets are already beating the odds by taking command of the series after going down 2-0 at home. Only five teams in NBA history have won a seven-game series after losing the first two at home.

The Timberwolves would have a better chance to win the series up 3-2 going into Game 6. However, they have not beaten the Nuggets at Target Center in this series, and nobody would feel good about Minnesota’s odds going back to Denver with the series tied 3-3. Michael Malone did a masterful job resetting the team during the three days off between Games 2 and 3. They’ve also effectively countered Finch and the Wolves in the past three games. Therefore, Malone may have been capable of coaching his team out of a 3-0 hole.

Still, Murray’s $100,000 fine felt light for his actions. The NBA fined Gobert $100,000 for a similar money sign in a March 8 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and $75,000 for doing it in Game 4. The entire situation is strange. Why wasn’t Murray fined for the same gesture? Why was Gobert fined less as a second-time offender? And shouldn’t Murray receive a $100,000 fine plus a punishment for throwing the towel and the heating pad onto the court?

Finch said the team would like to see the “itemized receipt.”

“If it's $75,000 for the gesture, then it must be $10,000 for the towel and $15,000 for the heating pad,” Finch said. “It's a little bit of a head-scratcher to us.”

We’ll never know what would have happened if the league had suspended Murray. Perhaps the Wolves would have lost Games 4 and 5 but won the series in six. Maybe the Nuggets would have overcome a 3-0 deficit, and the defending champs would have taken the series. Ultimately, the league must be more transparent about why they suspend certain players for specific actions. They should also explain how they balance regulating poor conduct while avoiding influencing the outcome of games or playoff series.