Jamal Murray's heat pack toss 'inexcusable and dangerous,' Chris Finch says

Murray threw a heat pack onto the court during the second quarter of Game 2.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) controls the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) in the second quarter during Game 2of the second round of the NBA playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on May 6, 2024. / Isaiah J. Downing / USA TODAY Sports

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray throwing a heat pack onto the court during the second quarter of Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series in Denver was “inexcusable and dangerous.” 

The Timberwolves were crushing the Nuggets, who were clearly frustrated by the results as well as the officiating when Murray, who was on the bench, tossed a heat pack onto the court during game action in the second quarter. He was not whistled for a technical foul. 

Here's Jamal Murray throwing the heat pack, guessing at the referee pic.twitter.com/SZ083RdTfU

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 7, 2024

Finch said he didn’t see the play happen in real time, and the officials told him they didn’t see it either. The TNT cameras, however, caught Murray tossing the heat pack after a timeout. Finch said he was told by officials they couldn’t call the technical because they didn’t see the play. 

“We tried to impress upon them that they’re 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,” Finch said. “But yeah, it’s inexcusable and dangerous, and I’m sure it was a mistake and an oversight.” 

Coach Finch on Jamal Murray throwing the heat pack pic.twitter.com/Xxsr9hN8G4

— SneakerReporter (@SneakerReporter) May 7, 2024

In the end, thankfully no one stepped on the heat pack, and Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope quickly threw it off the court. The Nuggets’ frustration never went away, however, as the Timberwolves crushed them 106-80 to take a 2-0 series lead.