Getty Images
The NBA is investigating Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray for making contact with an official late in Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Boston Celtics, based on ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. The incident occurred within the closing seconds of the sport, as Murray walked off the court docket in defeat. A video from the sector reveals Murray making contact with referee Gediminas Petraitis, although it’s not clear whether or not or not the contact was intentional or not. He additionally turned again, pointed and yelled at somebody, although it’s not clear who, based on Bontemps. He was escorted off the court docket by Hawks safety.
The league’s interpretation of the contact between Murray and Petraitis can be key to its final resolution on self-discipline. The NBA rulebook states that “any participant or coach responsible of intentional bodily contact with an official shall robotically be suspended with out pay for one sport.”
We’ve seen this rule in motion this season. In October, Celtics ahead Grant Williams was suspended for one sport after making contact with an official in a loss to the Chicago Bulls. Now, that rule could possibly be used on Boston’s postseason opponent.
The Celtics have a 3-1 lead of their first-round sequence towards the Hawks. If they win Game 5 on Tuesday, they are going to advance to the second spherical and face the Philadelphia 76ers, who’ve already accomplished a sweep of the Brooklyn Nets. The Hawks already had an uphill climb forward of them in the event that they needed to upset the Celtics. Atlanta would want to win two video games in a row with the intention to topple Boston, and two of these video games would come on the highway. Now, they could have to start out their comeback effort with out one in every of their All-Star guards.
Such an final result could be a becoming finish to an especially disappointing season for the Hawks. Atlanta anticipated to compete for the Eastern Conference crown with Murray and Trae Young in its backcourt. Instead, they’re now poised to get knocked out within the second spherical for the second consecutive season, and this time, one in every of their finest gamers could possibly be watching the closeout sport from the sidelines.
