Rudy Gobert is having yet another positive season statistically in the NBA, and after so many seasons below expectations, his Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the best records in the league: his 13.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 stoppages average are having a major impact for the Twolves, who currently occupy second place in the Western Conference with a record of 44 wins and 20 losses, behind only half a game behind the leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
Rudy Gobert, however, was responsible for yet another over-the-top incident in Minnesota’s 113-104 loss on the Cleveland Cavaliers court: with 27″ to play in the fourth period, the French center was whistled for the sixth foul, which was followed by blatant protests, in which Gobert made the money gesture directed at the referees, which culminated in an obvious technical foul: all of which allowed the Cavs to come back and tie the score, and eventually win the game.
Rudy Gobert did not shy away from expressing his ideas in the postgame press conference, heavily accusing the entire NBA refereeing world: “My reaction was instinctive and I should not have reacted like that, not at that moment of the game, I should not have done that. It cost my team the loss and obviously the referees were just waiting to give me a technical. I was wrong and immature, but I stand by my ideas.
Everyone makes mistakes, I made a mistake, I missed an easy dunk, referees also make mistakes, it’s normal, but in many cases I think they are intentional mistakes on their part, something has to change for the better. Everyone in the league knows that.
I have no problem once again playing the bad guy who tells the truth: I think the betting world is getting bigger and bigger and it’s hurting the game, it shouldn’t be like this. Referees are too involved in this“.
Rudy Gobert pulls out the ‘money’ sign at the referee 😬pic.twitter.com/XnDmOdfIVD
– BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) March 9, 2024
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Player and coach class of ’91, when he is not in the gym he is in front of his PC writing about basketball (with BU since November 2012) or watching his beloved Grizzlies. He was editor-in-chief for Legabasketv’s Serie A Beko Live broadcast for the 2015 and 2016 seasons along with Matteo Gandini.
