The Denver Nuggets had a must-win Game 2 on their home floor against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Monday night. The Wolves upset Denver in Game 1 behind electric late-game shot-making from Anthony Edwards, and with star center Rudy Gobert missing Game 2 for the birth of his first child, Denver couldn’t let both games of the series slip away.
Instead, the Wolves beat the brakes off Denver all night. Minnesota took a 61-35 lead into halftime, and it was a wrap from there.
The Wolves just look like the bigger, more physical, and deeper team to an extreme degree. It’s become a highly frustrating series for several members of Denver, and Jamal Murray is at the top of that list. Murray has been locked up by Minnesota’s length and ball pressure all series, and he let out his frustration during the first half.
Murray threw a heat pack from the bench onto the court as the Wolves started running away with Game 2. Update: Murray won’t be suspended but earned a $100K fine, per Shams Charania. Watch the video clip here:
The TNT camera shows Nuggets star Jamal Murray throwing a heat pack from the bench right into game action on the floor before a T-Wolves bucket. ⁉️ pic.twitter.com/btZp6dbtZR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 7, 2024
Somehow, Murray wasn’t given a technical foul for that move. It also might not be his biggest problem ahead of Game 3.
Murray also flashed the money sign to the refs at the start of the second quarter. Rudy Gobert was recently fined $100K for the same move, Murray also clapped in the face of an official. Somehow, he wasn’t given a technical foul at any point in the night.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2024Did Jamal Murray make the money sign at the official?
Rudy Gobert was fined $100,000 for making the gesture at the officials 2 months ago.pic.twitter.com/ObR2txfLLV
Murray is very lucky the refs let all of this slide. The league probably won’t in the days to come.
Murray was dreadful in the game, finishing 3-of-18 from the floor for eight points. He has been battling a calf injury since the second half of the season, and just hasn’t looked like the same guy we’ve seen takeover in the playoffs on multiple occasions. The Wolves’ defense is so much tougher than the Lakers defense he faced in the first round, and so far Murray hasn’t been able to find any answers.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch criticized Murray after the game for throwing the heat pack:
Finch calls Murray throwing a heat pack onto the floor “inexcusable and dangerous.”
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 7, 2024
Murray left the area without talking to reporters.
Minnesota beat Denver, 106-80. The Wolves lead the series 2-0. The reigning champs are officially on the ropes.