A recent home clash of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Chicago Bulls led to a headline-worthy NBA altercation. The hosts’ Rudy Gobert attempted to display his imposing nature following a questionable play from the visitors’ Alex Caruso. This moment sparked reactions from the viewers with Paul Pierce being one of the names on that list.
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In the latest episode of UNDISPUTED, the 46-year-old openly downplayed the intimidating aspect of the Frenchman’s persona. Pierce deemed the Wolves center not imposing while sharing his perspective on European stars in the league. In the process, he even dissed the French players to devalue the endeavors of Gobert further.
“In NBA, nobody considers the European players tough, especially a player from France…No American players are respecting a tough guy from France or Europe in general. They are nice people, they like pastries, they are friendly…It’s just not something we respect as a tough guy,” the Truth mentioned.
The words contained certain truths considering the nature of the latest altercation. Despite being infuriated with Caruso’s awkward push toward the end of the first half, Gobert merely spun him around once to showcase his disgust. In a contact sport such as basketball, especially in a league like the NBA, a counter of this extent always fails to intimidate the opponents.
A glimpse into the season-long altercations of Rudy Gobert
During a mid-November away clash against the Golden State Warriors, Gobert was at the receiving end of a fight. The Frenchman initially dragged Klay Thompson to seemingly conclude an altercation between the latter and Jaden McDaniels. Amidst the heated exchange, the hosts’ Draymond Green unexpectedly attempted to choke the Wolves’ center.
Last month, another controversy surrounded the 31-year-old international superstar. After a defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Gobert implied that the game referee, Scott Foster, was being intentionally unfair. He further indicated the influence of gambling in the official’s decision-making. It resulted in the NBA handing him a $100,000 fine while dampening his public image.
Hence, the on-court altercations have more often than not served as liabilities for the 3x DPOY. Despite possessing a stature of 7ft 1″, the opposition has always utilized his persona against him. This added volume to Pierce’s words, amidst the seeming bias in his statement.
