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Chris Finch Questions NBA Over Fine Disparity, Seeks 'Itemized Receipt' for Jamal Murray vs. Rudy Gobert Fines
Chris Finch raises valid concerns about the NBA's fine system, questioning the disparity in fines between players like Jamal Murray and Rudy Gobert. Read more
Rudy Gobert has earned a reputation for himself by frequently criticizing the referees. In March, officials fined him $100,000 for making a money sign at referee Scott Foster during a match.
Once again on Tuesday, Gobert received another fine for repeating the same gesture. This time, it amounted to $75,000, which left Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch discontented.
Finch's dissatisfaction was less about Gobert's actions and more about him perceiving the punishments as inconsistent. The Denver Nuggets' guard, Jamal Murray, had received a $100,000 fine after Game 2 for throwing a towel and a heating pad onto the field.
Interestingly, Murray also showed the same money gesture as Gobert during that devastating Nuggets' loss, but the NBA didn't cite the gesture in their fine announcement.
When asked about Gobert's fine before Tuesday's Game 5, Finch demanded a precise breakdown of Murray's penalties in comparison with Gobert's.
"If they are fining $75,000 for the gesture, then they must be charging $10,000 for the towel and $15,000 for the heating pad," Finch grumbled.
Murray's actions in Game 2 invoked calls for his suspension from numerous fans and critics. Making an inappropriate sign at a referee is one matter, but Murray's act of throwing items onto the field posed a real danger.
There were potential risks if someone unsuspectingly stepped on the heating pad during the game; one could have gotten injured. Yet, Murray's series fine was barely greater than Gobert's and identical to the penalty he received during the regular season.
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Chris Finch Addresses Mike Conley's Game 5 Injury
Just before Tuesday night's match against Denver, a key injury update arrived, ruling out Mike Conley Jr., the veteran point guard from the Minnesota Timberwolves, due to an Achilles problem.
Injured Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch voiced his thoughts on Conley's absence before the Mile High City's series Game 5 (credit to Alan Horton).
"Regrettably, it's just a type of strain and he can't play today. Yet, we expect he'll be fit for Game 6," Finch stated.
With Conley sitting out Game 5, the Timberwolves chose to promote Nickeil Alexander-Walker to start alongside Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, and Anthony Edwards.
There's a silver lining for the Timberwolves as they might be able to welcome back Conley to the court in Game 6. In the series so far, Conley, 36, has averaged 10.8 points and 7.8 assists per game.
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