Jazz center Rudy Gobert fined $25,000 for using profanity in interview after Game 4 win over Mavericks
Gobert made the game-winning dunk in the closing seconds to help the Jazz tie the series at 2-2
By
Jack Maloney
•
1 min read
The NBA announced on Sunday that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been fined $25,000 for using profanity in an interview following the team's 110-109 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of their first-round series.
Following the win, Gobert did an on-court interview with NBATV's Matt Winer, who asked the big man about the potential of this Jazz team. "Man, f--- the talk," Gobert said. "We just try to be the best team we can be, we try to enjoy the moment, and whatever happens, happens."
Gobert's comments came shortly after he played hero for the Jazz with a game-winning alley-oop off the feed from Donovan Mitchell with just 11 seconds remaining. All told, Gobert finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds in his best performance of the series. He was a menace on the offensive glass, and created a number of key second-chance opportunities that kept the Jazz in the game down the stretch.
The win was vital, not just for this series, but for this Jazz group's reputation. They've become infamous for playoff collapses in the last few seasons, and the criticism had already started up again this time around due to their embarrassing defense in Game 3 and the fact that they were down 2-1 in the series despite Luka Doncic missing the first three games. If they had blown a 16-point lead and lost Game 4 at home to go down 3-1, the situation could have gotten even more toxic.
Depending on what happens over the next week, things could still get nasty in Utah. This team has not earned the benefit of the doubt, and they will have to get through at least this round to avoid major changes in the offseason. But at least for now, they have been spared more of "the talk" that Gobert was referencing.
