Rudy Gobert after ejection: Next time I'll do justice myself
- Rudy Gobert was critical of the officiating after he was ejected in the closing stages of Utah's loss to Toronto on Monday.
![rudy gobert](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 800 450"></svg>)
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was not happy to be ejected following an altercation with OG Anunoby during Monday's loss to the Toronto Raptors, declaring: "Next time I'll do justice myself".
The pair clashed during the closing stages of the game at the Vivint Smart Home Arena, initially coming together at halfway as the Raptors looked to break.
Gobert took exception to Anunoby's flailing arm towards him, leading to the duo shoving each other away close to Utah's basket with the ball on the opposite side of the court.
Both were ejected following a review of the incident, with the Raptors going on to triumph 101-92 on the road.
"He tried to elbow me in the face and the guy [referee] that’s getting paid to protect us, the players, didn't do his job," Gobert said after the game.
"There was a little altercation and we both got ejected when I didn’t do anything back pretty much, which I don't understand. It doesn't make sense to me.
"Next time I'll do justice myself so the official can eject me for a reason."
Goodnight, Salt Lake. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/2RTtucjJ34
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 10, 2020
Toronto were without Marc Gasol and Fred VanVleet due to injuries, while Norman Powell left in the first quarter with an ankle problem.
However, Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka scored 27 points apiece to help the reigning NBA champions clinch a 46th win of the campaign.
Gobert, meanwhile, was limited to just six points and four rebounds through his 32 minutes on the court.
"We obviously knew the lobs and all those things that he gets, so we tried to take him out of that," Siakam said of the Raptors' efforts to restrict Gobert's impact on proceedings.
"Then it was about boxing him out. He's really a force down there and we did a pretty good job of that."
Published 10 Mar 2020, 15:48 IST