Rudy Gobert knew what was coming, NBA fines T-Wolves big $25K for blasting officiating after loss to Suns

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert knew what was coming after what he said following Wednesday night’s 107-100 loss to Phoenix at Footprint Center.

“They know that’s the truth,” he said. “Fine me as much as you want, but you know what you’re doing. They know what they’re doing. The whole world knows what they’re doing. Don’t make it as obvious is all I ask. Make it a little more subtle.”

Their head coach, Chris Finch, probably figured the same thing after he not only called out the officiating during his postgame press conference but said the Suns doing the same paid dividends for them.

“Sitting up here and talking about it or whatever must have worked for them because this is a team that historically draw fouls at the rate that they did,” Finch said.

In response, the NBA fined Gobert $25,000 and Finch $15,000 for “public criticism” of the officiating, the league announced Friday.

Last week, tThe NBA fined Suns coach Monty Williams $20,000 for publicly criticizing the free throw disparity and fouls after an 122-111 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I can sit here and rant and rave about what I feel like is not a fair whistle," Williams said. "It's just not.”

The Lakers attempted 46 free throws while the Suns managed just 20 attempts.

“We're doing the same thing. We're attacking the rim. I'm getting explanations about we're taking too many jump shots, midrange jump shots. We're playing a physical game. They had 27 free throws in the first half. They end up with 46. When do you see a game with 46 free throws for one team? That's just not right."

After a 90-second rant, Williams abruptly left the visiting press room at Crypto.com Arena.

“And I'll say it again, 46 to 20,” Williams concluded. “That's it. That's all I got to say."

A week later, Gobert and Finch took it there after seeing Phoenix go 21-of-27 from the line and Minnesota finish 8-of-12.

“It's not fair. It's really not fair," Gobert said. “I mean, 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 them 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. It sucks to be honest.”

The Suns snapped Minnesota’s four-game winning streak that included wins at Golden State and at Sacramento. Eighth in the West going into Friday’s games, Minnesota (39-38) is a game behind the Warriors (40-37), 2½ behind the Suns (41-35) and trail the Kings by 6½ games.

"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, you want to see Steph (Stephen Curry) in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron (James) in the playoffs,” continued Gobert, who played his first nine seasons in Utah, a small market team, before getting traded to Minnesota before this season.

“Timberwolves are not there yet. So, we got to keep putting our head down and keep playing through that, but it’s frustrating for sure. Frustrating for me.”

The T-Wolves made just one more free throw than the Warriors and were called for one more foul than the Warriors, but they lost both battles to the Kings and Suns.

• 99-95 win at GSW: T-Wolves 14-of-25 FTs (20 PFs), Warriors 13-of-17 FTs (19 PFs).

• 119-115 win at SAC: T-Wolves 22-of-34 FTs (27 PFs), Kings 32-of-40 FTs (23 PFs).

• 107-100 loss at PHX: T-Wolves 8-of-12 FTs (24 PFs), Suns 21-of-27 FTs (16 PFs).

Finch took issue with Phoenix drawing 24 fouls, four more than what the Suns average drawing (20.1).

Last season, they were at 18.1 and 18 in the 2020-21 season.

Devin Booker attempted (15) and made (12) more free throws than Minnesota as a team, but the Suns experienced the same thing in road losses to Milwaukee and Oklahoma City.

Giannis Antetokounmpo went 14-of-24 from the line while the Suns finished 14-of-16 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot 16-of-19 to Phoenix’s 17-of-24.

“I’ve been studying it,” Booker said after Wednesday’s win. “You look at all the top scorers in the league, a lot of them are in double-digit attempts a game or somewhere close to it.”

Four of the NBA’s top six scorers – Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander and Antetokounmpo – are averaging between 10.7 and 12.2 attempts a game.

Booker is averaging 6.7 attempts this season, 5.8 for his career.

“Just finding ways,” Booker continued. “I play an aggressive style. I get to the paint. I invite contact. Maybe they have an eye open for it now.”

Booker drew a foul on Jaden McDaniels on a made jumper and hit the free throw to put Phoenix up 93-89 with 6:42 remaining in the fourth Wednesday. Finch not only thought that was the play of the game, but he thought Deandre Ayton got away with what he thought was an illegal screen on it in making a point about Gobert getting called for illegal screens that came in the fourth quarter.

“Chicken wing illegal screen by Ayton, they give Booker the and-1 on the floater with minimal contact, if at all,” Finch said. “Then they call a bunch of illegal screens on the other end and that’s the turnovers you’re talking about, but they weren’t illegal screens. They’re actually physical plays.”

The Timberwolves committed 21 turnovers that led to 16 Phoenix points.

Gobert was called for two offensive fouls in the game’s final 2:30 with the second one coming with Minnesota down 101-97 with 51 seconds left.

“I’ve never had so many moving screens in my whole career in one game,” said Gobert, who finished the game with five fouls.

Durant drew the first one on Gobert with 2:28 left and Phoenix up 99-94.

“One time, KD is poking me in the eye,” Gobert said. “The second time, Josh Okogie, is coming around like that, of course I’m moving a little bit. So, by the book, of course it’s an offensive foul, but you don’t call it any time and I’ve been doing this my whole career and then you do that, and Ayton is moving on screens, and you don’t call it. Just manipulate the game and that’s what I don’t like.”

Finch elaborated on what he felt was a foul on Durant with Gobert.

“Durant leads with his elbow into Rudy’s face, which is something that happens all around the league right now,” he said. “And somehow, they tag Rudy for it.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: T-Wolves' Gobert, Finch fined for bashing officials after loss to Suns