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NBA Officials are going after Rudy Gobert and Adam Silver needs to do something

Adam Silver should be embarrassed at what he’s allowing to happen

NBA: Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

It’s becoming clear that the NBA officials have a personal vendetta against Rudy Gobert. After Gobert’s now infamous ejection against the Rockets the officials successfully got Rudy Gobert out of a game again with quick fouls. This time it was against the Oklahoma City Thunder where two quick calls had Rudy sitting with six minutes left in the quarter.

The first foul was reasonable. It’s the second foul that’s dubious.

Here’s the second foul.

Any unbiased observer would call that a textbook box out.

It’s clear what’s going on. Seeing Gobert with his first foul, they’re giving him whistles for nothing to continue to send messages. Is this out of anger that they were actually questioned? Probably.

Think that was the worst call of the night? It was not.

Watch as Steven Adams pulls Rudy Gobert to the ground (reminiscent of when Kelly Olynyk separated Kevin Love’s shoulder) and the referees call the foul on Rudy Gobert.

The official watches it happen and does nothing. It’s an absolute joke and an embarrassment to the league.

What is Adam Silver doing about it? The answer would be nothing.

If he doesn’t do something soon, something is going to happen and Rudy Gobert is ready to take matters into his own hands.

The big quote from Rudy was:

Tonight, someone grabbed my arm, pulled me down — that was a very dangerous play, and I got called for the foul. So if I gotta do justice myself, I’m gonna do justice myself. And it’s gonna get ugly,” Gobert said. “Hopefully I don’t have to do that. I just want to play basketball.

This has gone on long enough. If any sort of physical altercation happens that affects referees or players because of this, it’s on Adam Silver and the NBA Officials.

To be fair, Adam Silver has done some things in an attempt to improve officiating including more transparency with L2M reports and having an official who is a full time teacher of referees.

Those things have done nothing. It’s time to try something that will actually work.

Why is it that players receive punitive action for their misconduct but not officials? Rudy Gobert speaks out and he receives fines and suspensions. Referees continually target a single player with an agenda and nothing happens.

If Adam Silver wants to improve things it’s time he starts creating actual consequences for bad officials.

ICYMI, Georges Niang and Grayson Allen were assigned to the SLC Stars again. The play time should give them opportunities to develop their game. But possibly the best thing they’re developing is this handshake.

That’s not the only thing that happened with the Stars.

Grayson Allen is going to play hard and do what it takes to win no matter what league he’s playing in.

It could be pick up ball on a Saturday morning and Allen is going to get in someones jersey.

It’s amazing.

But Allen wasn’t the only one who received a technical. Georges Niang was actually ejected for two technicals.

It’s really nice to see the players sticking up for each other. With everything happening with Rudy Gobert, Jazz players might be on edge with officials.

As you heard yesterday, Donovan Mitchell is getting his own stance socks.

Today, Eric Woodyard released this video of Donovan doing an unboxing of them and it’s really fun!

Time to update those letters to Santa!

Another player quietly having a nice season for the Stars is Naz Mitrou-Long. The Utah Jazz are investing in him and it looks like it’s paying off.

This article in the The Gazette in Iowa talks about how much Naz appreciates the Jazz working with him to improve his game. It’s a great read and shows that the Jazz may be developing another solid player that could eventually be a part of the future.