NEW YORK -
Minnesota Timberwolves centre Rudy Gobert was fined US$75,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for another 鈥渋nappropriate and unprofessional gesture鈥 that suggested a lack of integrity with the league and its game officials.
Gobert glanced down and rubbed both thumbs together with his fingers as he walked up the court in frustration over a foul call in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's loss to Denver in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday. Gobert had just been whistled for an offensive foul when the TNT broadcast showed him making the money-counting sign to himself.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said the fine 鈥渢ook into account Gobert's history of improper conduct toward game officials.鈥
Two months ago during a regular season game at Cleveland, Gobert was called for a technical after picking up his sixth foul for making the money-counting gesture. One of the officials saw the taunt that time, and Gobert was later fined US$100,000.
After that game, Gobert said he was concerned about the rise of betting and believes gambling is having a detrimental impact on outcomes, implicitly accusing officials of being on the take.
鈥淚鈥檒l be the bad guy," Gobert said then. "I鈥檒l take the fine, but I think it鈥檚 hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger.鈥
The officiating crew on Sunday didn't appear to notice his less-pronounced version, but the league did.