Nuggets guard Jamal Murray fined $25,000 for low blow to Mavs’ Tim Hardaway Jr.

Update (Jan. 27): The NBA announced on Wednesday that Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been fined $25,000 for striking Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. below the belt during Denver’s win on Monday night.

Original story (Jan. 25): Things weren’t looking good for Tim Hardaway Jr., whose Mavericks entered the second half of Monday’s matchup vs. the Nuggets trailing 70-58.

Then, Hardaway got the jolt — albeit a painful one — that he needed, after Nuggets guard Jamal Murray hit him in a not so nice place.

Officials reviewed the play and called a flagrant two foul on Murray and ejected him from the game. The Mavs were down 80-73 with 4:51 remaining in the third quarter.

Then, Hardaway took over.

Hardaway immediately responded with a personal 7-0 run to tie the game at 80. He started by hitting the two free throws after the foul, making a 3-pointer and then getting a transition dunk.

Hardaway hit another 3-pointer in the third and the Mavericks rode the momentum into the fourth quarter, taking a 94-92 lead into the final period.

However, the Mavs eventually fell, 117-113.

Hardaway on the incident with Murray after the game: “I was trying to do the best I could to deny the ball. The rest speaks for itself.”

When asked whether the league office needs to look into the play, Hardaway said, “It doesn’t even matter at this point. What matters is we lost.”

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