All posts tagged: Gobert

Minnesota center Rudy Gobert named Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time

Minnesota center Rudy Gobert named Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time

Published by skeptic

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets guards Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during Game One of the Western Conference Second Round Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 04, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. MATTHEW STOCKMAN / AFP Rudy Gobert made some history. Victor Wembanyama nearly did. Gobert, the Minnesota center, was announced Tuesday night, May 7, as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time – joining Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. It was the fifth time in the last 11 seasons that a French center won defensive player of the year – and it sure seems like Wembanyama will add to that country’s total before long. The San Antonio rookie center, announced Monday as the league’s Rookie of the Year, was second in the voting and fell one spot short of being the first player to win the DPOY trophy in Year 1 of his NBA career. Vive la France, indeed. Joakim Noah became the first Frenchman to win …

NBA’s Rudy Gobert fined 0,000 for suggesting refs were influenced by gambling

NBA’s Rudy Gobert fined $100,000 for suggesting refs were influenced by gambling

Published by skeptic

The NBA announced on Sunday that it has fined Minnesota center Rudy Gobert $100,000 after he made a gesture during a Friday night game that implied a referee was improperly influenced by gambling and making calls accordingly. After Gobert was called for a technical foul in the last few seconds of regulation, during the Timberwolves’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, he rubbed his fingers together and directed the money-sign gesture toward referee Scott Foster. A second referee issued a technical foul, the Washington Post reported, which granted a free throw to the Cavaliers, ultimately sending the game into overtime, which the Cavaliers ultimately won. Gobert said in an interview after the game that he thought gambling is “hurting our game,” and that “I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way,” the Athletic reported.   According to the AP, the fine of $100,000 is the highest possible fine the NBA could give under the new collective bargaining agreement that took effect last year. The …