What punishment could Jamal Murray face after referee incident? Will he play in Game 3 against the Timberwolves?

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray could be forced to serve an immediate suspension in the NBA Playoffs following an incident that took place in his team’s defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday in Game 2 of the Western conference semifinals.

Murray shakes off injury to face Timberwolves

The 27-year-old had been listed as questionable for the game at Ball Arena in Denver due to his ongoing struggles with a leg injury. He had also been on the injury report for the first game of the series, as well as Game 5 of the first-round series against the LA Lakers.

Murray has ultimately played in all of his team’s postseason games, but that run could be about to come to an end for an entirely different reason.

Why could Murray be suspended by the NBA?

While on the sideline in the Nuggets’ 80-106 loss, the Canadian was captured on video throwing a heat pack onto the court, which is thought to have been a way of lashing out at referee Marc Davis.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch later called Murray’s behaviour “inexcusable and dangerous” in his defence of the officiating. No technical foul was called, although Finch said he had been told that was because the referees hadn’t seen the incident at the time.

Nuggets point guard “under official league office review” before Game 3

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Tuesday that Murray was “under official league office review for possible discipline before Friday’s Game 3,” which suggests there is a realistic chance he could be suspended for the third game in the series, as well as being hit with a fine.

The point guard’s potential absence would be a huge blow for the Nuggets, who already have a mountain to climb if they are to reach the conference finals.

Denver have lost the first two matches of their series against Minnesota (99-106, 80-106) and will be on the brink of elimination from this year’s playoffs with a third successive defeat.