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NBA fines Gobert $75,000 for making another money gesture in frustration over a foul call

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By: The Associated Press

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NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 by the NBA for another “inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” suggesting 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. Gobert was whistled for an offensive foul when the TNT broadcast showed him making the money-counting sign to himself. TNT cameras captured the gesture during the broadcast.

The NBA has fined Rudy Gobert $75,000 for making a money gesture at a referee after a call in Game 4 of Timberwolves-Nuggets.

He was fined $100,000 for making the same gesture at the officials 2 months ago.pic.twitter.com/wVkVc5baBJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 14, 2024

Gobert, the NBA's 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, was docked $100,000 following Minnesota's March 9 game against Cleveland, during which he made the same gesture and afterward made comments suggesting that gambling was impacting the refereeing. He has been issued several fines for criticism of referees during his career.

In a statement Tuesday morning, the NBA said the fine "takes into account Gobert's history of improper conduct toward game officials."

The following was released by the NBA: pic.twitter.com/KAGG2iIaSr
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 14, 2024

Gobert's fine is the second high-profile penalty handed down by the league during the Denver-Minnesota series. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was fined $100,000 for throwing a towel and a heat pack onto the floor during Denver's blowout loss in Game 2 of the series. The lead official in that game, Marc Davis, told a pool reporter that officials weren't aware those objects had come from the Nuggets bench. If they had, Murray would have been given a technical foul, he said.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch later called Murray's actions "inexcusable and dangerous."

Game 5 of the series is Tuesday night in Denver.