Held to 4-of-18 shooting for just 10 points, Murray looked like a shell of the dynamic, pure shooting running mate he has proven to be, for the defending champion Denver Nuggets and Nikole Jokic. His problem?

Jamal Murray Says “Who” When Asked About Anthony Edwards

Well, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels were in Murray’s back pocket all night, turning one of the best offensive players in the NBA to a non-factor. Don’t bother asking Jamal Murray about any of this, though. It was all about a bad elbow, apparently. Rather than give Edwards his flowers though, Murray responded “who?”

Jamal Murray was legitimately shocked that someone would suggest Anthony Edwards shut him down pic.twitter.com/MUzJB2NBy5

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 17, 2024

Reporter: “How difficult did Anthony Edwards make it for you tonight?”

Murray: “I mean, who? For me? For me?”

Reporter: “Yeah, for you.”

Murray: “I mean, it was less about [Anthony Edwards], it was more about my elbow, at that point. Every time… even some of my passes, you know? It was more offensively for him, it wasn’t guarding me, he was scoring on the other end. He was scoring at a great rate. And then on top of that, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels had a great game. Everybody on their team brought their game today. We weren’t able to defend them, keep them out of the paint of off the line. So yeah, we just gotta be better.”

The Timberwolves' ELITE defense on Jamal Murray leads to a triple by Anthony Edwards 🔥pic.twitter.com/6AGeJXNv7i

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 17, 2024

It was mostly Ant, Jaden and Nickeal Walker-Alexander who shut down the Nuggets’ talented guard, but Minnesota’s defense isn’t based on the performance of a single player. They didn’t even have Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, in Game 2.

But an ingenious Chris Finch game plan, flawlessly executed by Wolves players led to a stomping in Denver. They didn’t bring it in games 3 and 4, and they were crushed. In game 5, they missed Mike Conley. But Thursday night, it all came back together. And it started with Minnesota’s superstar Anthony Edwards manning up on Jamal Murray on defense from the opening tip, something Jamal had no desire to acknowledge.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets goes to game 7

Despite the question being about whether Anthony Edwards was worth crediting for the defensive performance that the Minnesota Timberwolves put on Jamal Murray Thursday, the Denver Nuggets guard suggested he was dealing with an elbow injury.

That hasn’t been a prominent talking point during any part of the series, and it certainly wasn’t an issue while he was going off either of the past two games. With a couple of days in between Game 6 and Game 7, Murray will have time to heal.

Related: Timberwolves Draw Jamal Murray’s Favorite Referee for Game 6 vs Nuggets

Edwards will need to heal his lower back and hip after a nasty fall as well, but only one of them made any mention of an injury slowing them down. Murray has made sure to talk plenty this series, and Ant has welcomed all of it.

With everything on the line for Game 7, it’s time for Anthony Edwards to remind Jamal Murray and the rest of the basketball world where he he stands in the league’s pecking order, today.

Despite getting down 9-2 early in the contest, Anthony Edwards, Karl Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert were unphased. Chris Finch’s squad went on a massive run and found themselves ending the first quarter up by 17 points.

Minnesota Timberwolves defense suffocates Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic

After being utterly dominated by Nikola Jokic in Game 5, Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves needed to bring back their stifling defense if they were going to give the Target Center faithful a victory. Karl Anthony Towns was back on the Nuggets big man early in the game, and his composure allowed Gobert to play more of a rover underneath.

Feels like this will be the possession Finch puts on film tomorrow of “how we want to guard Jokic” pic.twitter.com/GKnXkl1A8p

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 17, 2024

On the perimeter Nickeil Alexander Walker and Jaden McDaniels kept the Denver guards at bay, and Mike Malone’s squad never looked like it could get in rhythm. Jokic is always going to get his, and with 22 points just into the 4th quarter, he certainly made an impact on the stat sheet. However, he needed 19 shots to get there, and was held to an 0-for-4 mark from deep.

As was the case when he threw a heating pack onto the court earlier in the series, the Minnesota Timberwolves defense had Jamal Murray frustrated and searching for answers. As the 4th quarter wore down, Denver’s point guard was 4-for-18 from the field and had just ten points to his credit.

NAW just deleting space between himself and Murray.

Jamal Murray is currently 1/10 from the field. https://t.co/m3UKqdMGii pic.twitter.com/sYaaDuPPkx

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 17, 2024

Mike Malone opted to stay with his starters hoping for a run to happen, but nothing ever materialized. Both Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell were held below double digits for the vast majority of the game, and with just over eight minutes left in the contest, the Nuggets bench had scored just two points on 1-for-14 shooting.

Anthony Edwards called game and delivered

Of course if Micah Nori and the Timberwolves were going to see this series produce a Game 7, it was going to come on the heels of a big Anthony Edwards performance. Checking out at the 8:33 mark in the 4th quarter, he had put up 27 points on 8-of-17 shooting, and acted as a key difference maker all night long.

Despite taking a hard fall after being checked by Porter Jr. in the 3rd quarter, he quickly returned to the floor and continued to pour in big buckets. As he took a spot on the bench during the 4th quarter for a well-deserved rest, the Minnesota Timberwolves had a 36-point lead and Edwards signaled “7” to the crowd as the game he suggested would come was now turning into prophecy.

Anthony Edwards is ready for Game 7. 🔥

pic.twitter.com/jALRtmDjEQ

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 17, 2024

Related: Timberwolves Draw Jamal Murray’s Favorite Referee for Game 6 vs Nuggets

Sunday’s matchup back in Denver will be for all the marbles, and if the Minnesota Timberwolves come out even close to the way they looked on Thursday night, they will be tough to beat. The Nuggets will want to get this taste out of their mouth, and the defending champions won’t go down easily.

We’re going to have a good one in front of us.

Minnesota Timberwolves draw referee Marc Davis for game 6

Of course, I wouldn’t be writing this if it was an inconsequential detail. Does the name Marc Davis sound familiar? Would his face look more recognizable if I photoshop Nuggets head coach Mike Malone screaming at him from one inch away? Maybe a full body shot with a Jamal Murray heat pack underneath his feet?

#NBAPlayoffs WEST SEMIFINALS – GAME 6
⏰ 830PM ET
🏀 @nuggets at @Timberwolves
🏀 #8 Davis, #60 Williams, #39 Ford
📺 @ESPNNBA #NBA #NBAReferees

Alternate Official: Brent Barnaky pic.twitter.com/zj9xtTiEcB

— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) May 16, 2024

Ring a bell? Yes, the last time the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets, Jamal Murray, Mike Malone and others were so flustered by the sheer suffocation of the Wolves’ defense that, at different times in the game, Malone nearly headbutted him and Murray threw two different items Marc Davis, the same crew chief for tonight’s matchup.

A look back at the beef between Marc Davis and the Denver Nuggets

It was quite the scene in Denver throughout game 2. Davis and his crew were determined to let the two teams play physical, and they set that tone early with very few whistles. Without a doubt, that worked in favor of the Wolves’, given the in-your-face style defense they deployed without Rudy Gobert in the lineup.

But Marc and his crew didn’t just swallow their whistles that night, regarding contact between players. Davis was nearly headbutted by Malone early in the contest. Much later, Murray quite literally threw his own temper tantrum from the bench, actually flinging both a towel and a heat pack at their favorite crew chief.

How is this coach still on the bench? Honestly I think he wanted to be tossed to motivate his team & the ref didn’t even blink.
Jamal Murray throws a heat pack on the floor & not even a warning to the Nuggets bench. WTF!!!
The #Timberwolves played thru it
pic.twitter.com/NVGiVSuJcz

— Ron Johnson (@3RonJohnson) May 7, 2024

Related: NBA Fines Rudy Gobert Again, Proving it Pays to Be Jamal Murray

Right Backboard angle of Jamal Murray throwing 2 objects toward referee Marc Davis on the baseline during live action (towel 0:05, heat pack 0:18); followed by Murray turning his head around towards the crowd (0:26) when ref approaches the bench asking about the heat pack thrown pic.twitter.com/DD1dRgGyBJ

— diplan1 (@Diplan1) May 7, 2024

All Murray received for his above actions was a $100,000 fine, which is the same fine that Rudy Gobert received for flashing the money signs at referees during a regular season game earlier in the year. Oh, they the NBA slapped another one of those on Rudy this week too. Apparently tossing money signs at referees is equally as egregious as tossing physical objects.

But now, the Jamal Murray heat pack throw feels like it happened eons ago. After dropping three-straight, the Minnesota Timberwolves sit in danger of their 2023-24 season coming to an end on Thursday night, if they can’t force a game 7.

Related: NBA Exec Convinced Jamal Murray Avoided Suspension to Protect NBA TV Ratings

Anthony Edwards pretty much guaranteed a victory to a Ball Arena employee before they left Denver the other day, which is pretty much the same as what Joe Namath did all those years ago. Plus, the sportsbooks are on their side too. What could go wrong, right?

Rudy Gobert fined by NBA for money sign (again)

For the Timberwolves, Jamal Murray’s antics have become something of a thorn in their side for the duration of the second round series. He tossed a heating pack onto the court, and while that could have seriously hurt someone, he was fined $100,000 rather than being suspended. His performance in Game 4, and Rudy Gobert’s lack of performance, helped to sink Minnesota.

Murray has thrown a heat pad on the floor, made a money sign about the refs, and clapped in their face twice tonight and he still hasn’t got a technical foul pic.twitter.com/Yu40k5gaGM

— Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) May 7, 2024

This isn’t the first time Rudy Gobert has been fined for making a money related gesture this season. Coincidentally, both of the instances have come in games officiated by controversial referee Scott Foster.

The Timberwolves got out to a hot start during Game 4, but quickly wilted before letting emotions take over. Questionable foul calls were handed out, and there were also multiple instances in which the officials simply let both teams go at it.

Related: No Suspension for Jamal Murray After Heat Pack Throw; Rudy Gobert Wins DPOY

Emotions can bring out best in the Minnesota Timberwolves big man

Gobert certainly is one to let his emotions get the best of him at times, and that isn’t something Chris Finch can have from the Defensive Player of the Year in Game 5.

A significant key for the Timberwolves during Game 5 will be to control the emotions and force frustrations. Flustering Murray, hopefully not to the point of another heating pack tantrum, can only help Minnesota’s swarming defense. On the flip side, Gobert must stay within himself and allow that presence to permeate throughout the roster.

Rudy Gobert when asked if he was surprised by receiving the fine:

“No, not surprised.”

Ask what the message was behind the gesture:

“There was no message, just emotions. I gotta control my emotions. It’s gonna be a physical game, emotional game, I gotta control my emotions.” https://t.co/DmYyyiO6vH

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 14, 2024

Anthony Edwards was incredible during Game 4, and he’ll need a much more impressive performance from his teammates if the Timberwolves are going to return home with a series lead.

Facing the defending champs, it should never have been expected to be a quick series, but Finch and Micah Nori can’t be thrilled to watch the 2-0 lead built on the road evaporate entirely at home.

Related: Anthony Edwards Needs Some Teammates

If the Timberwolves can grab a big road victory in Game 5, they will again return to the Target Center with momentum, and an opportunity to close out the series. For a fan base looking to get behind this team, Game 5, Gobert, and the entire roster are a culmination of stakes that could not be higher.

Minnesota unleashed a NAW & Order style defense against Denver’s No. 1 backcourt option, holding the star point guard to the worst shooting performance of his playoff career (a blistering cold 16.7% field-goal rate).

Remember the Jamal Murray towel throw from Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Gm 2?

Murray was so frustrated that he tried throwing a towel onto the floor just to disrupt the Timberwolves’ flow. When that attempt failed (mostly due to poor form) Murray turned things up a notch, tossing a ‘heat pack‘ onto the court, which nearly ended up underneath Karl-Anthony Towns’ foot. Had that happened, we’d be having a different conversation, in many respects.

Jamal Murray can just throw a heat pack on the floor and face no consequences? Embarrassing. @NBAOfficial

pic.twitter.com/s6QCMSEqps

— Tarun Sharma (@tksharmalaw) May 7, 2024

But somehow, the referees missed both egregious acts, so Murray avoided any in-game penalties. No ejection, no technical foul, not even a warning. The refs thought it was an accident. Someone sneezed the heat pack onto the floor, apparently.

The tape never lies, though, and both of Murray’s tosses (towel and heat pack) were caught on tape, leaving him ripe for punishment from the league. I mean, throwing objects onto the floor, intentionally trying to (a) hit the referee or (b) an slip up an opponent cannot be tolerated, right? Immediately after, that’s what most thought. Of course, that’s not what happened.

Related: 10 Greatest Minnesota Timberwolves Players Of All-Time

Instead, Murray avoided all disciplinary action sans a $100K slap on the wrist fine (Murray made $33.8 million this season in base salary). If you’ll remember, that’s the same fine Rudy Gobert got for flashing the money signs at refs during a regular season game.

Oh yeah, Jamal did that in game 2, as well. In fact, he screamed at refs, flashed a money sign and threw objects onto the court. All of that was only worth the same discipline as what Gobert got, apparently.

Did Jamal Murray avoid suspension because of NBA TV ratings?

Or… did the NBA higher-ups get involved to make sure a star like Jamal Murray was available for one of the most anticipated games of the 2024 NBA Playoffs? That’s what multiple NBA executives told Heavy.com.

“We all know what’s going on here, and it’s a bad look. This was about protecting the TV audience for the next game — or games.”

One Anonymous NBA team executive on Jamal Murray ‘discipline’ after game 2

Being that Murray’s incidents were unusual, in that we haven’t seen other athletes behave like a two-year-old throwing a temper tantrum, no one really knew what to expect, but a suspension for Game 3 felt like a real possibility.

Related: Los Angeles Lakers Eyeing Timberwolves’ Top Assistant Micah Nori

However, others had different theories. Would the NBA really suspend one of the Nuggets’ best players for their biggest same of the season when Denver was already facing a 2-0 series deficit?

“Well, what you just said by fining Jamal Murray $100,000 is that we’re prioritizing the ratings at ESPN for that big game they have for Friday night over both the referees and the players. But who’s happy? ESPN’s happy. ESPN got their game. They’ve got a playoff game of great interest on a Friday night in prime time.”

Another Anonymous NBA team executive on Jamal Murray ‘discipline’ after game 2

Remember, no team has ever successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit and won a seven-game series. If Murray was wiped out, Denver’s chances to extend the series would crater, and the NBA knows it.

Consider how much pre-game hype there was before Friday’s match tipped off. The Timberwolves felt confident, but everyone knew the reigning champions were coming to down, and they’d be hungrier than ever to declaw their newfound biggest rivals.

Yet, doing so without their sharpshooting point guard, who was already desperate to bounce back, would have been a massive challenge. Not to mention, how would the NBA market such a game? Not having Murray by Jokic’s side surely wouldn’t help ratings improve.

Related: Kevin Garnett Prophesized Timberwolves Gm 3 Loss, Soft Refs Included

Whatever. The league allowed Murray to play in Game 3, and he torched the Timberwolves for 24 points. The NBA can’t go back on their decision now. All the Wolves can do now is try getting back in Murray’s head again, restoring NAW & Order in Minnesota once and for all.

Gobert, who was named Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday afternoon, will be back in the Wolves lineup, after missing game 2 for the birth of his child. And Jamal Murray, who threw multiple temper tantrums Monday night, will not be suspended for intentionally throwing a heat pack onto the floor while the game was still going.

Jamal Murray receives fine, no suspension

Instead, according to Shams Charania (The Athletic, Stadium), Jamal Murray will be fined 100,000, which ironically, is the same amount that Rudy was fined for flashing the money sign at referees earlier in the year. Murray did that too… along with yelling at refs and throwing both a towel and heat pack onto the floor.

NBA fine amount for Jamal Murray: $100,000, per sources. https://t.co/XNtApmguic

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 7, 2024

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

Jamal Murray is averaging 12.5 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game. He’s shooting just 28% from the field and 25% from 3-point range. In the Nuggets first round matchup vs the Lakers, Murray averaged 23.6 points, 7.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.

In the five games that Rudy Gobert has played in this postseason, he is averaging 13.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. The Wolves’ defense looked really good without Rudy in game 2 but we all know who is the most important person on that side of the ball.

Minnesota’s defense was so frustrating that the defending champion Nuggets completely lost their minds. No really, head coach Mike Malone was throwing temper tantrums (see bottom of this article), Nikola Jokic’s nose was even more red and puffy than normal… and Jamal Murray threw a heat pack onto the court. Not one of them was T’d up.

Jamal Murray throws heat pack onto the court

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

The more you think about this, the crazier it is. Throwing a heat pack onto the court in hopes of hurting people is unhinged behavior. Anyway, the Minnesota Timberwolves went on to win 106-80, all thanks to a defensive effort that has the Nuggets in huge trouble heading back to Minneapolis for game 3, down 2-0.

The question now is what the punishment will be for Jamal Murray. There are a lot of people in media and around basketball who are expecting Murray to get suspended for game 3. No doubt he will be fined, but if Murray doesn’t play on Friday, how are the Nuggets going to have any chance of climbing back into this series?

Related: Nikola Jokic Already Sounds Exhausted by Timberwolves’ Defense, Depth

How Murray and his head coach Mike Malone didn’t receive one technical foul between the two of them on Monday night is astounding. But whatever, the Wolves didn’t need their help anyway.

Anthony Edwards got a tech for looking at someone

Mike Malone crash out begging for a tech and didn’t get one

I see what’s going on pic.twitter.com/pZZ410grMo

— † (@HoodiHachimura) May 7, 2024