The NBA has stepped in hoping to put an end to the war of words between the Timberwolves and the Nuggets leading up to Game 5.
According to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post NBA vice president of operations Stu Jackson told members of both teams to zip it.
"He spoke to the teams and the players who made comments and told them that wasn't appropriate," NBA spokesperson Tim Frank said.
Things heated up between the teams after the Nuggets Francisco Elson called Minnesota superstar "gay" for hitting him in the groin in Game 4. Elson later apologized to the gay and lesbian community for his comments.
"I would like to apologize to the gay and lesbian community for my comments about Kevin Garnett. I realize my comments were insensitive and they were out of character for me. However, I take full responsibility, and I have learned a valuable lesson."
"I didn't mean anything negative towards them or towards anybody about it," Elson said. "I said it, I apologized, enough said. Hopefully they will respect me and take my apology as it is."
Despite the warning from the league, the verbal comments did continue on Thursday.
Asked whether he expected more cheap shots tonight in what has become a physical series, Nuggets guard Jon Barry said: "You worry about that, them sending some thug like that, like Oliver Miller, to knock somebody out or something like that, at the end of the game if it gets out of hand."
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders is disappointed at the talking coming from Denver players.
"They can say all they want. No one wants to fight. These guys are not fighters. ... We're not going to get caught up in all that. I'm sure they're not. First of all, they are professional players. They are here to represent the league. The league isn't about fighting."