Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert implies NBA ref might be betting on games
Rudy Gobert should expect to hear from the NBA league offices in the near future.
The Timberwolves star took a not-so-subtle jab at referee Scott Foster Friday during Minnesota’s 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It happened in the final seconds of regulation when Gobert fouled out of the game after being called for his sixth infraction.
Before leaving the court, Gobert rubbed his fingers together to make the money gesture while Foster went to the scorer’s table, seeming to imply that the referee might be on the take.
Foster didn’t see what Gobert did, but official Natalie Sago did and slapped Gobert with a technical.
After the game, Gobert doubled down on his actions.
“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”
Problem is, the technical foul allowed the Cavaliers to tie the game and force overtime.
That wasn’t lost on Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori, who was filling in Friday night for head coach Chris Finch, who was sick shortly before tipoff.
“A technical foul with 27 seconds in the game, to be honest, is unacceptable,” Nori said. “That’s who Rudy is, but you’ve got to be smart. He made a visual that was automatic. He was obviously frustrated — both teams were — but we have to be smarter.”
Gobert later admitted he needs to keep his emotions in check.
“My reaction, which I think was the truth, but it wasn’t the time to react that way,” the three-time All-Star said. “It cost my team the game. It was an immature reaction.”
But Gobert still insists he wasn’t wrong about the referees on Friday.
“It’s not just one call,” he said. “Everyone makes mistakes, but when it’s over and over and over again, of course it’s frustrating.”
Gobert finished the night with 7 points and a team-high 17 rebounds.
Compounding his disqualification was the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Timberwolves announced Thursday night Towns will have surgery next week to fix torn meniscus in his left knee.
Minnesota expects Towns, a four-time All-Star, will miss at least the next four weeks.
Adding insult to injury, the Timberwolves’ loss, when combined with Oklahoma City’s 107-100 win Friday over the Miami Heat, moved the Thunder a half-game ahead of Minnesota for the best record in the Western Conference.
