It seems like everyone and their mother has something to say about how referees officiate the NBA game nowadays. Last week, it was Fred VanVleet who threw all caution to the wind after he called out referee Ben Taylor for his “f–king terrible” officiating. Now, add Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert to the pile of those with a laundry list of gripes against those with, perhaps, the most thankless job in all of professional sports.

In particular, following the Timberwolves' 103-101 loss to the Boston Celtics, Gobert expressed his frustrations over feeling like officials' tendency to treat them with less respect than their opponents.

“Sometimes, we have that feeling that the things that get players and people in general furious, is we feel like we’re not being treated with integrity. And that’s when it becomes hard to keep your cool,” Gobert said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

“I get hit in the face every night and I never get a flagrant. It’s crazy. Tonight was about things happening at once. I need to watch the game and see if I’m crazy or not.”

Article Continues Below

One play in particular drew the ire of Rudy Gobert. With seven minutes to go in the third period, Gobert felt like he drew a foul from Derrick White after the Celtics guard took a wild swipe towards the ball. Instead, the officials ended up calling a technical foul on the Timberwolves center after he flailed his feet and flexed his arms towards White after a thunderous jam.

As frustrated as Gobert and the Timberwolves are after dropping to 35-35 as a result of their loss to the Celtics, the French center still made sure to acknowledge that the referees' job is difficult. While that may be true, consistency is all Gobert, and perhaps the rest of the league, is asking for.

“At the same time, I played this game a long time. I know how hard it is to be an official. I know that they’re going to make mistakes, it’s human. But when it goes the same way the whole game, I can understand why it can be frustrating, and why guys can get really upset,” Gobert added.

The Timberwolves have to shake off these frustrations when they take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday night in the first game of a back-to-back set.