New York (AFP)
Frenchman Rudy Gobert, the NBA player for the Minnesota Timberwolves, was fined $100,000 for criticizing the refereeing and making an inappropriate move toward a referee.
The decision came against the giant Gobert (2.16 m) because of his behavior in the last seconds of regular time in the match that his team, third in the Western Conference, lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-104 after overtime.
Joe Dumars, executive vice president of the NBA, said that the fine against Gobert, 31, “takes into account Gobert’s previous actions that harm the NBA, with regard to publicly criticizing refereeing.”
A technical foul was called against Gobert after he rubbed his fingers together several times, indicating the possibility of referees receiving money in exchange for calling fouls against him.
After the sixth foul was counted against him and he was expelled from the match, Gobert made a move against the referee, and the latter counted a technical foul, allowing the Cavaliers to equalize the score and call for an extension.
The Frenchman said, “I accept the fine, but I think it harms the game,” noting that the increase in betting on matches harms the game, and cost my team the match. It was an immature move. It was not a single decision. Everyone makes mistakes, but the matter was repeated repeatedly and it was frustrating.
Micah Nouri, who replaced sick Minnesota coach Chris Finch, described Gobert's move at a crucial moment as “unacceptable.”
He said, “It was frustrating, of course, as were both teams, but we must be smarter than that.”
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