CNN
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Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert suffered a costly technical foul during his game. team game Friday night after appearing to make a financial gesture toward a public official following a controversial call.
Gobert was penalized for his sixth foul, and therefore expelled, less than 30 seconds from the end of the Timberwolves match. shock against the Cleveland Cavaliers and with his team leading by just one point.
The awarding of the offensive foul was a decision disputed by Gobert and his teammates and, afterward, cameras filmed the incredulous Frenchman rubbing his thumbs and index fingers together, a gesture often associated with money.
The gesture appeared to be directed at referee Scott Foster who had awarded the foul. And although Foster missed it, fellow official Natalie Sago saw Gobert’s actions and gave Gobert a technical foul.
As a result, the Cavaliers were awarded a free throw for the technical foul which Darius Garland converted, tying the scores and sending the game to overtime. The Timberwolves lost 113-104 in overtime.
After the match, Gobert admitted that he had made a mistake in reacting the way he did, saying that his “immature reaction” had cost his team the match.
But he also suggested that sports betting influences how NBA games are officiated.
“I’m going to bite the bullet again,” Gobert said, by ESPN. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it hurts our game. I know betting and everything else is getting bigger and bigger, but that shouldn’t be the case.
CNN has reached out to the NBA and the National Basketball Referees Association for comment.
According to Gobert, the official was not up to par all evening.
“It’s not just a call,” the 31-year-old said. “Everyone makes mistakes, but when it’s over and over again, of course it’s frustrating.”
Gobert finished with seven points, 17 rebounds and two blocked shots in 37 minutes played.
“A technical foul with 27 seconds left, to be honest, is unacceptable,” said Minnesota assistant coach Micah Nori, who was filling in for head coach Chris Finch due to illness. “It’s not who Rudy is, but you have to be smart. … He produced a visual which was [an] automatic [technical].”
