Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch recently voiced his dissatisfaction with the NBA over the perceived disparity in fines levied against Rudy Gobert and Jamal Murray. This comes after Gobert, who has a history of criticizing officiating, was fined $75,000 for making a money gesture towards an official during a game. This was not the first time Gobert faced such a penalty; in March, he was fined $100,000 for a similar gesture and comments suggesting that the rise of sports betting was influencing officiating decisions. “I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said at the time, according to ESPN. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s hurting our game.”
The latest fine against Gobert was met with frustration from Chris Finch, who questioned the consistency of the NBA’s disciplinary actions. Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was fined $100,000 after Game 2 of their series for throwing a towel and a heating pad onto the court in frustration. Although Murray also made the same money gesture as Gobert during that game, this was not mentioned in the NBA’s announcement about his fine.
Murray has thrown a heat pad on the floor, made a money sign about the refs, and clapped in their face twice tonight and he still hasn’t got a technical foul pic.twitter.com/Yu40k5gaGM
— Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) May 7, 2024
Finch sarcastically requested an “itemized receipt” for Murray’s fine when asked about Gobert’s penalty before Game 5. “If it’s $75,000 for the gesture, then it must be $10,000 for the towel and $15,000 for the heating pad,” Finch commented.
Many fans and analysts argued that Murray should have been suspended for his actions in Game 2. They pointed out that while an inappropriate gesture towards an official is problematic, Murray’s act of throwing objects onto the court posed a genuine safety risk. Had a player stepped on the heating pad during play, they could have been injured. Despite this, Murray’s fine was only slightly higher than Gobert’s and matched the amount he was fined during the regular season for similar conduct.
The NBA cited Gobert’s history of improper conduct towards game officials as a factor in determining his fine. “The fine takes into account Gobert’s history of improper conduct towards game officials,” the league’s press release stated.
The NBA is particularly sensitive about gestures implying corruption, especially in light of the increased importance of gambling within the sport. The integrity of the game is a critical issue, highlighted by the recent lifetime ban of Jontay Porter. The league is vigilant about maintaining its reputation and ensuring that any suggestions of impropriety are addressed promptly and sternly.
This ongoing tension underscores the challenges the NBA faces in balancing disciplinary measures while maintaining fairness and transparency, particularly in an era where the influence of sports betting on the game is under intense scrutiny.
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