The NBA imposed a fine of US$100 thousand (around Rp. 1.55 billion) on Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert for insulting the referee when the Timberwolves faced the Cleveland Cavaliers last weekend.
NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said the fine was imposed because Gobert was deemed to have behaved inappropriately and unprofessionally towards the referee.
The center was also considered detrimental to the NBA because he publicly criticized the referee’s performance.
Gobert was declared a technical foul when the match between the Timberwolves and Cavaliers had 27 games remaining. The match ended with the Timberwolves losing with a score of 113-104 in extra time.
After being declared for his sixth foul while launching an attack, Gobert made a gesture by rubbing his thumb and forefinger, indicating that referee Scott Foster was paid by the opposing team to direct the game.
Foster did not see Gobert’s action but assistant referee Natalie Sago saw it and the referee team declared the French basketball player had committed a technical foul.
Also read: Hitting a teammate, Gobert is suspended for one match
Gobert’s foul, which was just a ball out for the Cavaliers, added one free throw for the Cavaliers.
With that free throw, the Cavaliers equalized the score at 97-97 and the match continued into overtime. The Timberwolves lost 113-104 after overtime.
Gobert admitted he made a mistake and regretted his actions harmed the Timberwolves.
“I accept my mistake and will pay my fine. My actions were detrimental to the team. It should not have been like this,” Gobert said.
As a result of this defeat, the Timberwolves were pushed out of the top of the NBA’s Western Conference standings, overtaken by the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Ant/Z-1)
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