As Expected, Dejounte Murray Is Suspended For Game 5 After Confronting And Making Contact With An Official

Kevin C. Cox. Getty Images.

The second we all saw the video of Dejounte Murray seeking out an official and making contact with him after Game 4

most rational people had the same thought

I mean what are you thinking in that moment? There is no positive outcome from coming after a ref in that spot. Just go to the locker room, get on the plane, and focus on trying to win Game 5 with your season on the line.

Then we learned that Adam Silver caught wind of the video and the league was looking into it

and we now have the verdict

Again, this should surprise no one, even if the league has been all over the place in terms of what warrants a suspension and what doesn't. Draymond stomping on someone's chest? Suspended. Joel Embiid karate kicking someone in the dick? No suspension. Sometimes it feels like this is how the league decides these things

but with this play involving Murray, there's already been precedent set. As I wrote in the blog last night, Rajon Rondo was essentially suspended for the exact same thing

and there was no doubt about what Murray did. 

Of course, if you're a Hawks fan and you hear this news, I imagine you're upset. Mostly because of what happened with Jayson Tatum after Trae Young ripped his arm down while he was in the air and got a flagrant 1

Did Jayson Tatum touch an official? Yes. Are these two plays even remotely the same thing? No. Not even close. I get it though, down 3-1 and your season on the line, you have to try anything and everything to get Tatum suspended. The game is the game.

Unfortunately, the league has a brain. Even if you didn't think the Hawks had a chance in Game 5 anyway, not having Murray available is a huge loss. He's been their best player through 4 games. Putting up 25/7.3/5.8 a night on 45/39% splits, it's impossible to not be impressed with how Murray has played. He's shooting like 50% on contested FGA, he's making 3.3 3PM a night after averaging just 1.8 during the year, and he's by far their best perimeter defender. 

That's why what he did after the game was so stupid. To even put yourself in a position like that where you could be suspended is beyond comprehension when you're in the middle of a playoff series. It's not like this was in the heat of a game, this shit was over! Now he has to watch from his couch in what had a good chance of being the final game of the Hawks' season. 

All I know is this. The Celts already had little excuse to not close this series out on Tuesday, but now there is legit no excuse. Show up, be focused, rebound, take care of the basketball, and let's move on to the Sixers. There are bigger fish to fry.