12:05pm: Sixers center Joel Embiid has also been fined $15K for publicly criticizing the officiating following a loss on Saturday, according to the NBA. Embiid mockingly applauded the referees as he left the court following a Game 4 loss to Toronto, then sarcastically praised them during his post-game press conference, insinuating they wanted to push the series to a Game 5.
“I’m going to take my own advice and not complain about fouls,” he said, “but like I was doing at the end of the game: They did a great job. I admire the job that they did today. To me, it felt like they had one job coming in here tonight. And they got it done. Congrats to them, tonight.”
11:57am: Jazz center Rudy Gobert was fined $25K by the NBA on Sunday for “using profane language during a live television interview,” the league announced in a press release.
The fine stems from Gobert’s comments in a live, post-game interview following Utah’s Game 4 win over Dallas on Saturday. Asked by Matt Winer of NBA TV about the Jazz’s potential in this postseason, Gobert replied, “Man, f— the talk,” referring to the ongoing speculation about the team being headed for an early playoff exit and a summer roster overhaul (video link).
Meanwhile, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was hit with a $15K fine by the NBA on Monday for his own comments to the media after Memphis lost Game 4 in Minnesota on Saturday. The league said in its statement that Jenkins was penalized for “public criticism of the officiating.”
“In my opinion, one of the most poorly officiated games I’ve ever seen in my NBA career,” Jenkins said on Saturday, noting that many of his starters were in foul trouble from the first quarter onward (video link). “… I’ve never seen a more inconsistent and arrogant officated game.”
Jenkins expected to be fined when he made those comments after the loss, telling reporters that he’d “take whatever hit’s coming my way” in order to protect and advocate for his players.
I was wondering if the NBA would fine Embiid. Lol.
He’s quite possibly the biggest baby in the nba not named LeBron. The refs live rent free in that dudes head.
Dude literally gets more foul calls than anyone in the NBA and has the audacity to complain.
The African warrior is fouled more than any player in the league friend.
Friend the African warrior should but doesn’t get a call on every possession. The MVP Joel Embid gets mugged, hacked and assaulted every single time he touches the rock. He lives in nick nurses skull and apparently yours.
That was Glenn Davis.
Joel had one job to do, coming into that press conference, to not complain about the referees.
And he couldn’t get it done.
Draymond and Klay had 5 fouls final 5 minutes
It’s fine because they had experience
Morant and Jackson jr had 5 fouls final 2 minutes
It’s not fine because they are young
IMO
Referees need to protect young stars
Complaint = get favorite calls next game
League’s gonna have to either dramatically increase fines or actually suspend people, because guys are now strategically calling refs corrupt in order to get a couple more calls in the next game. It’s the one thing I absolutely can’t stand about the NBA. Yeah the refs get a ton wrong and it’s absolutely NOT evenly distributed, for whatever reason. But the undermining of what authority the refs had left is terrible for the game. And not for nothing, Embiid whining about calls after what he got this season is hilarious.
It would be better for the league if they could focus on having games called better with more consistent, efficient and capable referees than trying to penalize complaints more strictly.
Incentive the refs to get quadruple their pay if they can call games more accurately. Change the rules so that it’s easier to get calls right. Do whatever it takes to take out the mystery and ambiguity of what is acceptable or not in a game. User better technology, add more refs who review every replay. Do whatever it takes to make a better product!
allow teams to get sweeps and maybe you can fine dudes.
Sixers lost because Embiid’s hurt. They’ll go out in the next round.
Oh, Embiid being half-healthy is part of it, but it’s not a Sixers issue. it’s basically every NBA series. cant let a series end in 4 games.
Klay Thompson had 5 fouls with 6.33 minutes remaining in game 4
Draymond was fouled out
Why Did Suns and Grizzlies complain about officiating but Warriors did not?
1:37 minutes remaining, Warriors lead by 2 points
Warriors 121
Nuggets 119
Draymond was fouled out earlier in the game
Rudy got fined 25k for one word KY for 50k for all the BS hé did in game one …
Can’t see why Embiid got fined, he tells the truth & gets hit, I mean are we forcing people to lie now?
NBA has no business or even the right to fine players for complaining about dreadful officiating!
Okay Stevie Wonder, you don’t watch the games then.
Ugly and disappointing loss by the 6ers tonight.
Every player in the playoffs who has made decent money in the NBA should criticize the refs in a show of solidarity. Make the league fine dozens of players and have more attention drawn to the issue as well as embarrassment stemming from it.