All season long, the Wolves have had a simmering irritation with how the officials have called their games. On Wednesday, Gobert’s exasperation came out. Officials called 11 fouls in the first half and 29 in the second. When he was asked if the inconsistency of the foul calls made it hard to defend, Gobert — who had seven points and 15 rebounds — laid into the officiating all season as it pertained to the Timberwolves. “It’s not fair. It’s really not fair,” Gobert said. “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 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.”
Source: Chris Hine, Star Tribune @ Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Source: Chris Hine, Star Tribune @ Minneapolis Star-Tribune
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Rudy Gobert says NBA is conspiring against Wolves as part of big-market playoff agenda: ‘It’s just so obvious’
cbssports.com/nba/news/rudy-… – 9:51 AM
Rudy Gobert says NBA is conspiring against Wolves as part of big-market playoff agenda: ‘It’s just so obvious’
cbssports.com/nba/news/rudy-… – 9:51 AM
Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Rudy Gobert and Chris Finch follow Monty Williams and Fred VanVleet’s lead in criticizing officials.
Given who is coming to town on Friday, the timing may not be a coincidence. Let this be the last of the squabbles with the refs. theathletic.com/4363297/2023/0… – 9:33 AM
Rudy Gobert and Chris Finch follow Monty Williams and Fred VanVleet’s lead in criticizing officials.
Given who is coming to town on Friday, the timing may not be a coincidence. Let this be the last of the squabbles with the refs. theathletic.com/4363297/2023/0… – 9:33 AM
Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Frustration with how the Timberwolves have been officiated most of the season boiled over for Rudy Gobert as he and others let out some thoughts following their loss to Phoenix: startribune.com/rudy-gobert-mi… – 8:03 AM
Frustration with how the Timberwolves have been officiated most of the season boiled over for Rudy Gobert as he and others let out some thoughts following their loss to Phoenix: startribune.com/rudy-gobert-mi… – 8:03 AM
Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Rudy Gobert, seemingly ready to accept any fine that will be coming his way, laid into the officiating in his postgame comments. Quotes to come. – 1:11 AM
Rudy Gobert, seemingly ready to accept any fine that will be coming his way, laid into the officiating in his postgame comments. Quotes to come. – 1:11 AM
Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Were there some bad calls? Sure. But Gobert’s screens were legit illegal most of the time.
Also, if you have a guy score 20 points in the first half, he probably needs more than 5 shots in the second half.
Plenty of things the Wolves could’ve done better beyond whistle – 12:35 AM
Were there some bad calls? Sure. But Gobert’s screens were legit illegal most of the time.
Also, if you have a guy score 20 points in the first half, he probably needs more than 5 shots in the second half.
Plenty of things the Wolves could’ve done better beyond whistle – 12:35 AM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Rudy Gobert is the illegal screen-setting, offensive foul machine hero Laker fans didn’t know they needed. AK – 12:32 AM
Rudy Gobert is the illegal screen-setting, offensive foul machine hero Laker fans didn’t know they needed. AK – 12:32 AM
Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Gobert called for a moving screen again. 51 seconds left – 12:29 AM
Gobert called for a moving screen again. 51 seconds left – 12:29 AM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Methinks Devin Booker enjoys scoring on Rudy Gobert more than the average defender – 11:40 PM
Methinks Devin Booker enjoys scoring on Rudy Gobert more than the average defender – 11:40 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Wish I could look up the Wolves offensive rating on possessions Gobert dribbles vs. the possessions he doesn’t – 11:26 PM
Wish I could look up the Wolves offensive rating on possessions Gobert dribbles vs. the possessions he doesn’t – 11:26 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
No Prince, Nowell, Rivers or Ryan tonight for the Wolves. Anderson and Edwards are giving it a go, though they also are sick.
Think that means the nine guys that play tonight will be…
Gobert
Towns
McDaniels
Edwards
Conley
–
Anderson
Reid
McLaughlin
Alexander-Walker – 9:43 PM
No Prince, Nowell, Rivers or Ryan tonight for the Wolves. Anderson and Edwards are giving it a go, though they also are sick.
Think that means the nine guys that play tonight will be…
Gobert
Towns
McDaniels
Edwards
Conley
–
Anderson
Reid
McLaughlin
Alexander-Walker – 9:43 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
curious to see how Phoenix goes at Towns, who will presumably start on Okogie. More of an ideal matchup for the KAT/Gobert frontcourt but can do different things like use Okogie as a screener like @protectedpick has been asking for. CP3 will go at Gobert as he always does. – 9:34 PM
curious to see how Phoenix goes at Towns, who will presumably start on Okogie. More of an ideal matchup for the KAT/Gobert frontcourt but can do different things like use Okogie as a screener like @protectedpick has been asking for. CP3 will go at Gobert as he always does. – 9:34 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Starters
Suns: Paul, Booker, Okogie, Durant, Ayton
Wolves: Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns, Gobert
Taurean Prince, Jaylen Nowell and Austin Rivers are all OUT for Minnesota. Kyle Anderson is IN. – 9:32 PM
Starters
Suns: Paul, Booker, Okogie, Durant, Ayton
Wolves: Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns, Gobert
Taurean Prince, Jaylen Nowell and Austin Rivers are all OUT for Minnesota. Kyle Anderson is IN. – 9:32 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Looks like the Wolves could be without Kyle Anderson, Taurean Prince and Austin Rivers tonight. They’re all on the injury report with an illness.
If all three can’t play, I think they actually should play Naz Reid at the 3 next to KAT and Gobert during the non-McDaniels minutes. – 7:30 PM
Looks like the Wolves could be without Kyle Anderson, Taurean Prince and Austin Rivers tonight. They’re all on the injury report with an illness.
If all three can’t play, I think they actually should play Naz Reid at the 3 next to KAT and Gobert during the non-McDaniels minutes. – 7:30 PM
Steve Aschburner @AschNBA
Mike Conley’s initial reax to the Rudy Gobert trade, teaming his Jazz pal on Wolves with Karl-Anthony Towns: “I didn’t know how it was going to work, if it would work or how it would work.”
Seven months later, Conley was brought in to help make it work.
nba.com/news/wolves-bi… – 7:20 PM
Mike Conley’s initial reax to the Rudy Gobert trade, teaming his Jazz pal on Wolves with Karl-Anthony Towns: “I didn’t know how it was going to work, if it would work or how it would work.”
Seven months later, Conley was brought in to help make it work.
nba.com/news/wolves-bi… – 7:20 PM
More on this storyline
COMING OUT OF the February All-Star break, Gobert met with Finch and made a promise — and an admission. “He knew he hadn’t performed up to his standard or expectations,” Finch said. “Right now the team around him is really figuring out how to value him offensively, and that’s keeping him engaged, as well. “We tell him after every game, keep doing your s—, Rudy,” Edwards said. “Rebounds, blocking shots, finishing, he’s been playing great. We want him to keep that up.” -via ESPN / March 29, 2023
“[KAT and my potential] is limitless,” Gobert told ESPN. “I really thought that. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and we’re still not where we want to be as a team, but it was exciting for me to be a part of something unique. A lot of people criticized it. But most things that are going to be different are going to be criticized early on.” -via ESPN / March 29, 2023
Christopher Hine: Asked Rudy Gobert how much smarter the Timberwolves are now than earlier this season. His answer, with a laugh: “I think we are about three, four years older than we were a few months ago. And I’m not talking about Mike Conley.” -via Twitter @ChristopherHine / March 28, 2023