Rudy Gobert was frustrated. With 27.8 seconds left and his Timberwolves trailing the Cavaliers by one (97-96), he was booked for a loose ball foul on Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen – it was Gobert’s sixth foul and he was out Match. His reaction was to make a financial gesture to Scott Foster and the officiating team.
Gobert immediately received a deserved technical for this before coming out – and it may have cost his team the game. Danilo Gallinari made the technical free throw to tie it 97-97, no one scored the rest of the game and the game headed to overtime, where Cleveland won.
After the game, Gobert was asked about the move and admitted his timing was bad at the end of a close game – but he pushed further the idea that referees were paid, implying that sports betting have an impact on NBA officials. Here is the first part of his quote, via Joe Varden and Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.
“My reaction, which I think is the truth – that’s what I truly believe – even if it’s the truth, it wasn’t the time for me to react that way,” Gobert said per the following. “I should not have done that. I cost my team the game and obviously they were eager to give me some tech. It was bad. It was an immature reaction.
When asked to clarify his thoughts, Gobert said, “I made some mistakes. I had a dunk. Errors happen. Referees also make mistakes. But sometimes I think it’s more than just mistakes. I think everyone in this league knows that. I think it needs to improve.
Gobert was not finished. Here is his full quote, for context, via Timberwolves writer/podcaster Dane Moore.
“I’ve been in this league a long time, man. And I understand this game pretty well. I love this game. I love going to compete every night with my teammates. Tonight was the second night of a back to back. Obviously I made mistakes. I elbowed the dunk [an offensive foul he committed]. Errors happen. Referees also make mistakes. Sometimes I think it’s more than just mistakes. And I’m going to stay at that. I think everyone in this league knows that. And I think it needs to improve.
“I’m going to bite the bullet again. I will once again be the bad guy who tells what I think is the truth. And I hope the league – I mean, they’ll probably fine me, and again, I’ll take the fine – but I think it hurts our game.
“We shouldn’t — I know the betting and all that stuff is getting bigger and bigger — but it shouldn’t be. And I give all my respect to the other team, to Cleveland. They also played a hell of a game. But let the players decide the game.”
This is far from the first time Gobert has claimed NBA officials are corrupt. as Tom Haberstroh detailed in The Finder. He has long believed that NBA officials are biased, especially against him. Gobert likes to say things, who needs facts and proof? Remember, it was also four years ago this week that Gobert decided to touch all the microphones as he left the room as a bad COVID joke just before the league – and the world – shut down due to the pandemic.
The league actually closely monitors officials in several ways to make sure they’re not playing, but Gobert likely never asked about it or discussed it with the league.
The foul Gobert was frustrated with was a legitimate call — he was fighting with Allen for rebounding position, and Gobert appeared to push Allen down and out of the way. Here’s what the Timberwolves coach had to say after the game, also via The Athletic.
“I thought the game was called pretty much the same, both ways – I think both teams were a little frustrated, but that’s basketball,” the Washington assistant coach said. Minnesota Micah Nori, who replaced coach Chris Finch (illness).
It doesn’t matter anymore, Gobert has stirred up the hornet’s nest. The NBA will come after Gobert for these comments. This was not a typical criticism of the quality of officials (which usually results in a fine of $25,000 or thereabouts). This implied bias and that officials were changing the outcome of games for money.
It brings up the ghost of Tim Donaghy, something the league has worked hard to overcome. The NBA will rightly say that Donaghy is a convicted felon who has made unproven — in fact, league officials would say, disproven — accusations about referee bias and corruption. Although the NBA has taken steps to make NBA officials more transparent, the stain of Donaghy’s accusations has never completely faded from some fans.
The NBA won’t be happy that everything is turmoil again.
