Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and head coach Chris Finch were fined on Friday for the comments they made criticizing the officiating after Wednesday’s loss to Phoenix, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link).
Gobert’s fine was $25K, while Finch was docked $15K.
As we previously relayed, Gobert was upset in particular about the moving screens he was called for on Wednesday and throughout the season, and suggested that Minnesota doesn’t get a fair whistle because the Timberwolves aren’t a big-market team.
“I’ve been in this league for 10 years and I try to always give the benefit of the doubt, but it’s hard for me to think they’re not trying to help (the Suns) win tonight,” Gobert said on Wednesday. “It’s hard for me to think they didn’t try to help the Warriors win the other night or Sacramento Kings the other night. It’s just so obvious. As a basketball player that’s been in this league for so long, it’s disrespectful.”
Finch wasn’t as direct in his criticism of the officiating, but he did take a page out of Monty Williams‘ book by griping about the free throw disparity between the Wolves and Suns on Wednesday. Finch suggested that Williams’ recent remarks along the same lines must have had a positive effect.
“It works because tonight they went to the line 27 times and we went to the line 12 times. Sitting up here and talking about it or whatever, must have worked for them,” Finch said, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “Because this is a team that doesn’t historically draw fouls at the rate they did.”
Williams ($20K) and Fred VanVleet ($30K) are among those who have also been fined recently for their criticisms of the referees.
Those conspiracy theorists…
What, do they think all sportsbook are in communication, and through the refs are enlarging NBA gambling revenue bank accounts?
Conspiracy theory for sure
Just my opinion
Whenever a team has over 48 free throw attempts in a game, referees need to explain to the fans.
I am not in disagreement.
I haven’t caught all the games, but a few of the more controversial ones this season, and I gotta say the player complaints from those games were absolutely consistent with what happened on the court.
This is by far the worst officiated NBA season in its history.
Fines summary
VanVleet – Clippers game
Monte Williams – Lakers game
Rudy Gobert and Chris Finch – Suns game
Lakers vs Wolves game tonight
Referees
Scott Foster (#48) Brent Barnaky (#36) Matt Myers (#43)
Foster is nba final game 7 head referee
4 Wolves players have illness today
Edwards
Prince
Kyle Anderson
Rivers
Covid?
I don’t think so
Diarrhea… they were calling it “intestinal illness”
It’s always been the sport of the mob
Rudy is off his rocker sometimes. I was at the sac game and this fool is trippin. This is what we call projection mr Gobert. Your tchodes got away with murder in the sac game. Sabonis face being purple the next day tends to disagree. Huerter picking up 4 fouls in 2 minutes when on 2 of them he made 0 physical contact also doesn’t seem to jive with your nonsense
last night game Gobert could have been called for a few moving screens as he pushes off on the defensive player. Gobert just know another year without a championship ring.
players tell the truth about what’s happening in this league and they get punished while the referees are never hold accountable for how bad they do their job. And the nba always make sure their STAR PLAYERS chine and it’s not fair with the rest of the league. WE NEED FAIRNESS SO WE HAVE BETTER COMPETITION!
They deleted my comment
Typical
As a wolves fan watching the last three games with my buddies, we were all thinking it. Booker/Steph getting calls left and right because… they’re Booker and Steph. Idk why the league thinks they need to pamper their stars. How does a professional sport have so much ambiguity with their OWN RULES. Make the game fair so people that don’t live on a coast and watch it.
Steph is not getting calls like that man, what game were you watching. Wolves had more FT than the Warriors anyway.. trippin
Perhaps it was Poole in retrospect. I watch all 4 major sports but NBA is the most anger inducing bc even the slightest touch sends dudes flying like a boulder down a mountain.
Good. Nobody is above the league.
West standings are tight as they’ve been in years. And people cry about “competition.”
Of course only when it’s the team with the logo on their bedsheets and lunchbox.
*sighs*
Finally a player says something. If he then said they should bring back the hand check rule and call dribbling violations along with getting paid less then he would be my new favorite player
Oh brother. Suns and Warriors might be in the bottom 3 of the league when it comes to FTA but they each average over 20… even if the NBA was telling refs to make sure the Warriors and Suns make the playoffs, Rudy brought up the Kings… kings are top 5 in attempts pg and not a big market team.
Rudy dismantled his own argument before he even got the point across. Adam appreciates the donation though.
Yes, Gobert should be heard. Maybe he should speak into as many microphones as he can. Then test positive for stupidity.
We know you did
This has been such an issue. I saw an article on a sport picks website that said there’s more than a 60% chance at least one official in the league is biased beyond motivational mandate. In other words, a 60% chance they’re taking a cut to throw games.