Rudy Gobert is one of the NBA’s most formidable defenders. As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, he’s built a reputation for his hard-nosed efforts to patrol the paint for the Utah Jazz the past few years and was the anchor of the league’s stingiest defense last season.
Part of being a great defender is knowing how to block and alter shots by being physical with opponents without sending them to the line for freebies and putting your team in the penalty in the process.
Gobert has mostly achieved a level of excellence in that regard, but in recent weeks, he’s found himself at odds with the officials for what he perceives as bad calls and unfair treatment. All of that came to head in a game against the Rockets last week, when he was called for a dubious fall on the opening tip and got ejected just a few minutes later for his reaction to another quick foul call.
He once against criticized officials after a 122-113 loss to the Thunder Monday night, issuing a rather ominous warning that if certain foul calls against him continue, he’ll have to take matters into his own hands. Via Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune:
“Tonight, someone grabbed my arm, pulled me down — that was a very dangerous play, and I got called for the foul. So if I gotta do justice myself, I’m gonna do justice myself. And it’s gonna get ugly,” Gobert said. “Hopefully I don’t have to do that. I just want to play basketball.”
He added that he’s tried to give the officials the benefit of the doubt, recognizing that it’s both a thankless and near-impossible task to get everything right.
That said, he doesn’t believe he’s getting any benefit of the doubt in return.
This is the second time Gobert has publicly criticized officials. He had harsh words for the referees after a game against the Heat earlier this month after what he saw as questionable foul calls. Gobert also said that he’s addressed these issues with either the players’ union or the referees’ union, although it was unclear what came of that interaction.
It remains to be seen whether he’ll be fined for his most recent comments, not to mention how things will play themselves out in the game if Gobert earns what he sees further unfair treatment.
(Via The Salt Lake Tribune)
