Jamal Murray may not be able to help the
Denver Nuggets climb out of the 0-2 hole they're in against the
Minnesota Timberwolves, but it won't be because he's injured or sick. Instead, Murray may miss the next game due to suspension.
During Monday night's Game 1, Murray was spotted sitting on the bench and angrily throwing a heat pack onto the court after a call he didn't like from the referees. Although the refs didn't notice the incident, it was caught on video and now the NBA is investigating it.
Although many people came out to criticize Murray for his actions, some people stood up for him, including
Draymond Green of the
Golden State Warriors.
On his show, Green came out to speak about the throwing of the heat pack.
"I was just online, and I see people are like, 'Oh, Jamal Murray's probably going to get suspended for throwing the heat pack,' " Green said. "I mean, I didn't think he'd get suspended, although that was very dangerous. [If] somebody steps on that, A, it leaves a wet spot, and B, can really jack somebody up."
He went on:
"But, I didn't see that and be like -- my first thought wasn't, 'Ah, he gets suspended.' It's crazy how people just start automatically start calling for suspensions these days. I just don't really understand that. But, in saying that, man, Denver's down bad right now."
Green, of course, has had many run ins with the authorities over the years due to his on-court antics and he has often not agreed with any suspension leveled at him. Therefore, it's not surprising to see him speak out on behalf of Murray.
However, Murray may still face stiff consequences regardless of Green's opinion. And if he does miss the next game, it could seriously hurt the Nuggets' slim chances of climbing their way back into this series. Murray's shooting powers weren't on display during Monday's game but the team still wants him to come back for the next match in hopes he can get out of this rut and help them contend again.