The NBA announced a one-game suspension for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray after an incident involving a referee in the final moments of a Game 4 Boston Celtics victory Sunday evening. Murray will miss Game 5 Tuesday night in Boston, where the Celtics have a chance to close out the series.
In a press release, the league said Murray was suspended for “making inappropriate contact with and verbally abusing a game official.” Footage of the incident seems to back that assessment up, though its not yet clear what triggered the confrontation in the moment or what was said.
Murray is one of Atlanta’s top scoring weapons, averaging 25.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. Replacing his offensive output in a must-win game will prove an immense challenge for the Hawks, and may be a big opportunity for the Celtics.
Taking care of the ball and rebounding are paramount concerns for the Celtics, per Tatum. https://t.co/da7JCV0kRB
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 24, 2023
Murray’s offense is especially crucial because it takes pressure off of the team’s lone All-Star, Trae Young. Now, Atlanta will need to find new ways to score the ball. And while Murray isn’t known for his defense, his speed and athleticism will be missed on that side of the ball.
This doesn’t mean the Celtics will moonwalk their way to victory in Game 5. This Hawks team was plenty formidable prior to trading for Murray last summer. Though Boston holds a 3-1 series advantage, the Celts will need to main composure on both ends to punch their ticket to the conference semi-final round.
Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 4 at the Hawks in the first round of the ’23 playoffs. https://t.co/Cnm1TyOe4P
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 24, 2023
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