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Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert did not hold back Wednesday night when talking to reporters following a loss to the Phoenix Suns.
And it’s going to cost him.
Phoenix Suns forward Josh Okogie, right, gets fouled as he goes up for a shot against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert during the second half of their game at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Gobert was fined $25,000 by the NBA, while Minnesota head coach Chris Finch will be $15,000 lighter after the two publicly criticized officials after the 107-100 loss.
TIMBERWOLVES' RUDY GOBERT THINKS OFFICIALS MAKE CALLS TO HELP OTHER TEAMS: 'JUST SO OBVIOUS'
The Suns outshot the Timberwolves 27-12 at the free-throw line, with Phoenix guard Devin Booker attempting more free throws — 15 — than the entire Minnesota team.
Officials called 29 fouls in the second half, compared to just 11 in the first half.
"It's not fair. It's really not fair," Gobert told reporters, according to the Star Tribune. "Every night. I've been in this league for 10 years and I try to always give the benefit of the doubt, but it's hard for me to think they're not trying to help [the Suns] win tonight. It's hard for me to think they didn't try to help the [Golden State] Warriors win the other night or Sacramento Kings the other night. It's just so obvious. As a basketball player that's been in this league for so long, it's disrespectful."
Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the second half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wednesday. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Gobert added that he felt the officials tend to favor the large-market teams.
"We understand that we're not the biggest of the markets and we're a team that — I think you want to see KD [Kevin Durant] in the playoffs, Steph [Curry] in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron [James] in the playoffs," he continued. "[The] Timberwolves are not there yet. We got to keep putting our head down, keep playing through that and it's frustrating for sure, especially for me."
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Finch was more delicate with his criticism, referencing the free-throw disparity in his postgame comments.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch questions a call during the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sunday. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
"It works because tonight they went to the line 27 times and we went to the line 12 times. Sitting up here and talking about it or whatever, must have worked for them," he said. "Because this is a team that doesn't historically draw fouls at the rate they did."
Minnesota is currently sitting in the eighth spot in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks, who are presently on the outside looking in for the NBA’s playoff tournament.