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Apparently, NBA referees gotta protect their integrity by absolutely dragging their integrity threw the dirt. Rudy Gobert who had criticized referees just two games ago for not getting a good whistle—and getting fined by the NBA for doing so—got thrown out less than 3 minutes into the game for two absolute garbage calls.
The first was barely on the tip-off, one second in the game. On an unintentional contact to Clint Capela, Rudy Gobert was called for his first foul.
Rudy Gobert gets a foul on the tip-off. Never seen that before, and Quin Snyder is furious.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) December 7, 2018
Message received, right? Not quite. Rudy Gobert was then called for his second foul less than 3 minutes into the game on a ridiculous flop by James Harden. Rudy Gobert then overreacted and hit a cup off the scorers bench. Rudy Gobert was T’d then he had words with one of the referees. The refrees then deemed this worthy of an ejection because WHY NOT? Everything else leading up to this point hadn’t made any sense, so why start justifying yourself now?
Rudy Gobert's night ends very early after getting ejected 3 minutes into the game pic.twitter.com/ONonD6YT91
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) December 7, 2018
Many agreed that the officiating was terrible.
Rudy Gobert has been ejected from the game. Courtney Kirkland baited Rudy Gobert from the opening tip off. Liklely in retribution for Rudy's comments in Miami. Got called for a foul on the opening tip then got hit on a harden flop and got ejected for his reaction
— David Locke (@Lockedonsports) December 7, 2018
so NBA refs just straight up retaliate against players who criticize them now, huh? It’s like that?
— Layton Shumway (@theshums) December 7, 2018
All the NBA did tonight by calling those two fouls on Gobert and then ejecting him in such a manner was validate his original comments made after the Miami game
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) December 7, 2018
Nope. Those were two garbage calls, and he was right to be pissed. He has a rep already from that fine. You want to T him up for smacking whatever onto the court? Fine. But a straight ejection was an overreaction.
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) December 7, 2018
As Rudy said ... consistency . That’s all we ask. And it ain’t looking like that right now .
— kristen kenney (@kristenkenney) December 7, 2018
Utah Jazz fans telling #NBATwitter about Rudy Gobert getting tossed tonight pic.twitter.com/9bs8x7BCW0
— SLC Dunk (@slcdunk) December 7, 2018
This honestly feels like retaliation by the NBA officials, and that’s not just us putting our tin foil hats on.
This is exactly what it feels like. https://t.co/4pOHG4BYFV
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) December 7, 2018
There most likely is going to be a Pool Report on this game. We’ll update this story when we receive it.
UPDATE 10:47PM 12/6/2018
Rudy Gobert isn’t going to waste time doing nothing. He’s getting a good workout in. Always time to get yoked.
Rudy Gobert went straight into a workout after getting ejected in 1Q pic.twitter.com/KJc4f6zVkR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 7, 2018
UPDATE 11:47PM 12/6/2018
I mean ... I don’t think any of should be surprised by this at all. NBA Officials defending their terrible call? You’re kidding.
NBA Crew Chief Tom Washington on why Rudy Gobert was called for a foul at the game's opening tip: “During the the jump ball, Rudy Gobert grabs the arm of (Clint) Capela which is illegal contact so it’s a loose ball foul.”
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) December 7, 2018
NBA Crew Chief Tom Washington on Gobert’s ejection: “Because when he was coming off the floor he forcefully swung at items on the scorers table. Those 3 items came out to the floor with considerable amount and that was just too monstrative of an action and we had to take action.”
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) December 7, 2018
Kudos to Rudy Gobert for taking responsibility. You could tell he probably had been coached up by Utah PR to avoid yet another fine from the league for criticizing the officials.
Rudy Gobert speaks postgame: pic.twitter.com/cawcuT59mc
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) December 7, 2018
Donovan thought it was hilarious, though.
Donovan, upon reviewing Rudy’s ejection after the game: “I laughed and thought it was funny.” pic.twitter.com/affuDC5vgq
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) December 7, 2018
Evidently, all of last year there was only one foul called on the tip-off last year according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
.@espn_macmahon had the stat on this one: there was only one foul called on a opening tip called all of last year. (On Andre Drummond, apparently.) https://t.co/nCpDrQLCj4
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) December 7, 2018