Jamal Murray appeared to have zero interest in discussing his antics from Game 2 against the Timberwolves that resulted in the league issuing him a $100,000 fine. Check out how his Q&A with reporters went after Denver’s practice on Wednesday.
Did you expect any punishment from the league office, was it fair?
Murray: Nah, I mean it is what it is and I take everything in full responsibility, so on to the next.”
Was it just frustration boiling over?
Murray: Yeah, on to the next. It was two days ago. Not much for me to say about it right now.
Were there any conversations you had with league people, just to apologize or whatever?
Murray: Do you have any basketball questions? No?
Murray was caught on camera throwing a towel in the direction of officiating crew chief Marc Davis, and then moments later grabbing a heating pad and tossing it in the direction of Davis. The heating pad then slid onto the court as the Timberwolves and Nugges were battling in the paint.
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg called Murray avoiding questions about his antics “pathetic.”
“That response from Murray is one of the weakest things I’ve ever seen in my 35 years covering sports,” Greenberg said Thursday on Get Up. “What he did was practically unprecedented in NBA history and to pretend that it was ridiculous that he was even being asked about it two days later is pathetic. That’s what it is. It’s pathetic.”
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch ripped Murray’s antics, calling the heating pad incident “immature and dangerous.” Others in the national media were calling for Murray to be suspended for Friday night’s Game 3, though their wish was not granted when the league simply hit Murray with a fine equal to the penalty Rudy Gobert paid during the regular season when he flashed a money sign at the officials.
Murray and the Nuggets are in an 0-2 hole and facing what amounts to a must-win game Friday in Minneapolis. If the Nuggets fall into an 0-3 hole, they are virtually guaranteed to lose the series. No team has ever won an NBA playoff series after trailing 3-0, though the Celtics came close last season when they forced a Game 7 but lost to the Heat in the conference finals.
Read More: Jamal Murray shows little interest in talking about Game 2 antics 2024-05-09 15:53:36