Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert has been hit with a hefty fine following his actions during and after their away game against the Cleveland Cavaliers last Friday, March 8, at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
The 31-year-old has been slapped with a $100,000 fine by the league for directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official and publicly criticizing the officiating in the post-game interview.
In the final 30 seconds of regulation, Gobert received his sixth foul. Following an attempt to plead his case with the officials, he was hit with a technical foul for making a money gesture, implying that the referees were involved in fixing the game.
"A technical foul with 27 seconds in the game, to be honest, is unacceptable," Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori said, who stood in for head coach Chris Finch for the game due to an illness.
Rudy Gobert slams gambling for influencing referees
After the game, Gobert reinforced his position against officiating during the post-game interview, implying that sports betting could significantly influence referees' decisions.
"I'll bite the bullet again. 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," the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year said.
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