Top scorer in the league this season, with an average of 35.1 points, Joel Embiid is also the player who goes to the free throw line the most, with 11.7 passes per game. Against Wolves last night, he appeared 18 times (17/18 in the exercise) to finish the match with 51 points (17/25 on the shoot).
After taking a mistake on the first defensive withdrawal, Rudy Gobert had to quickly leave the field, when he picked up his second foul after 3 minutes 30…
“It’s even more difficult for me when the referees call fouls like the first two” explains the Frenchman. “It’s even harder to defend on him. I wish they would let us play more fairly. So I can at least try to be myself and make him work even harder. »
The Minnesota pivot thus complains about the imbalance he feels, the slightest contact on Joel Embiid being whistled in attack, while he gets very few whistles under the circle.
“It’s hard to be yourself when you have three guys (referees) waiting to take you out of the game as soon as they can.”
“It doesn't really seem natural, especially compared to everything I've accomplished in my career, that I take two fouls that quickly, compared to everything I take on the other side. It's weird, really weird. There are things we will never know, that we will never understand, and I don't want to focus on that. I don't want to focus on that, but it really affects our team when I have to go to the bench, two or three minutes into the match.” he curses like this.
Especially since these quick mistakes prevented Rudy Gobert from being able to be physical with Joel Embiid afterwards.
“I came back with two fouls and tried to be myself, but it's hard to be yourself when you have three guys (the referees) waiting to take you out of the game as soon as they can. »
We doubt that the NBA appreciates this last remark, but Rudy Gobert was not the only one to complain about the refereeing at the Wolves, even if the officials ultimately called more fouls against the Sixers (25) than against the Wolves (22). But Chris Finch demanded, in the middle of the match, from the referees “to stop protecting” the MVP.
“It's difficult when someone goes to the free throw line 18 times and makes 17, it's a very efficient offense. It's hard to get over this.”explained the Minnesota coach. “They shot 53%, but it’s certain that Rudy’s exit in the first four minutes of the match hurt us. »
| Rudy Gobert | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2013-14 | UTH | 45 | 10 | 48.6 | 0.0 | 49.2 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2.3 |
| 2014-15 | UTH | 82 | 26 | 60.4 | 0.0 | 62.3 | 3.2 | 6.2 | 9.5 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 8.4 |
| 2015-16 | UTH | 61 | 32 | 55.9 | 0.0 | 56.9 | 3.4 | 7.5 | 11.0 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 9.1 |
| 2016-17 | UTH | 81 | 34 | 66.1 | 0.0 | 65.3 | 3.9 | 8.9 | 12.8 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 14.0 |
| 2017-18 | UTH | 56 | 32 | 62.2 | 0.0 | 68.2 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 10.7 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 13.5 |
| 2018-19 | UTH | 81 | 32 | 66.9 | 0.0 | 63.6 | 3.8 | 9.0 | 12.9 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 15.9 |
| 2019-20 | UTH | 68 | 34 | 69.3 | 0.0 | 63.0 | 3.4 | 10.1 | 13.5 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 15.1 |
| 2020-21 | UTH | 71 | 31 | 67.5 | 0.0 | 62.3 | 3.4 | 10.1 | 13.5 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 14.3 |
| 2021-22 | UTH | 66 | 32 | 71.3 | 0.0 | 69.0 | 3.7 | 11.0 | 14.7 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 15.6 |
| 2022-23 | MIN | 70 | 31 | 65.9 | 0.0 | 64.4 | 3.3 | 8.3 | 11.6 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 13.4 |
| 2023-24 | MIN | 25 | 32 | 60.7 | 0.0 | 61.3 | 3.7 | 8.5 | 12.2 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 12.6 |
| Total | 706 | 30 | 65.2 | 0.0 | 63.8 | 3.3 | 8.3 | 11.7 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 12.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
