Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray is facing a possible Game 5 suspension after bumping a referee
A player or coach who makes "intentional physical contact" with an official gets an automatic one-game suspension.
The NBA is reportedly investigating Dejounte Murray’s actions at the end of Atlanta’s Game 4 loss to the Celtics, where he appeared to bump into a referee
According to NBA rules, any player or coach found guilty of intentionally making physical contact with an official gets an automatic one-game suspension. A fine and/or a longer suspension is possible depending on the situation.
Murray appeared to make contact with referee Gediminas Petraitis on his way off the floor. The contact was brief, and didn’t seem to be very hard.
But, if the NBA finds that Murray intentionally bumped the ref, it’s an automatic suspension. The Celtics, who lead the series 3-1, will host the Hawks Tuesday night at TD Garden.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the NBA “customarily takes a hard stance against anyone making contact with a game official.” Bontemps pointed to Grant Williams’s one game suspension when he made contact with an official during a game against the Bulls in October.
Losing Murray for a game, particularly a potential elimination game on the road, would be a huge blow for the Hawks. He’s averaging 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.3 steals per game during the series.
The Celtics are one win away from eliminating the Hawks. If the Celtics win Tuesday night, they’ll host Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday.
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