NBA Announces Fine For Timberwolves Star Over Officials Rant
Criticism of the officiating in NBA games happens on a nightly basis these days, with coaches and players having no problem sharing their opinions about referees and things that may have gone wrong on the hardwood.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert and head coach Chris Finch are no exception, with both men recently venting their frustration about the loss to the Phoenix Suns on the road.
As the league always tends to do when the officiating gets criticized, fines were given to Gobert and Finch totaling $40,000 altogether.
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/4DpTkYpAvo
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 31, 2023
Finch believed the Suns were getting a big advantage at the free-throw line, with Phoenix getting to the line 27 times as opposed to Minnesota’s 12.
That’s a pretty big difference, and it’s hard to argue with Finch putting up a stink about the referees favoring the Suns with some home cooking, as they say.
Gobert went on to complain about the fairness of this game and claimed the officials were trying to tilt the scales in favor of the Suns.
The Timberwolves said the following about what turned out to be a lopsided outcome for Minnesota via ESPN.
“We understand that we’re not the biggest of the markets,” Gobert said. “… I think you want to see KD [Kevin Durant] in the playoffs, Steph [Stephen Curry] in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron [James] in the playoffs. Timberwolves are not there yet.”
These kinds of arguments in professional sports will happen all the time, as fairness is always something the losing side tends to complain about, even if it was ultimately fair and square.