DALLAS – Denver Nuggets playmaker Jamal Murray was sent off after what appeared to be an intentional shot in the groin by Tim Hardaway Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks in the second half of the game on Monday night.
Murray stumbled back after the pair collided when Denver was preparing for the attack. Murray stood and extended his right arm between Hardaway’s legs, causing Hardaway to bend.
The official closest to the contact whistled to interrupt the game at 4:51 am from the end of the third quarter and conferred with the other referees. The initial call was a foul on Murray, and was updated to a blatant foul 2 in a video review.
Murray had 16 points when he was sent off, the same total leadership of the team since the break.
The Nuggets led 80-73 when the game was stopped, and Hardaway scored the next seven points in just 23 seconds to reach the Mavericks before he even took the lead from the start of the first quarter.
However, the Nuggets came back to win 117-113.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.