New episode of old-fashioned trash-talking last night in the NBA, and as often, to the detriment of our national Rudy Gobert who must be wondering why so much hatred, in the long run. The culprit, or rather the culprits?
Luka Doncic, first, whose propensity to call opponents and referees for a yes or no, who happily flirted with the limits of decorum in the last action between Dalles and Minnesota. The brilliant Slovenian player had just scored a decisive step-back on the head of Rudy Gobert four seconds from the end while his team was trailing by two points, and he did not could stop himself from teasing the Frenchman of a sound “You can’t guard me, you motherfucker”, which does not require translation.
Not a word from the referees, strangely, and a Doncic strangely evasive at a press conference when a journalist brings him back on the subject
– “So like, he doesn’t know how to defend “F-world” on you? »
– ” Who said that ? »
– ” You “
– ” I did not say that “
So far, you will tell me, nothing from anyone against Rudy Gobert. It’s then that things get worse, everyone taking great pleasure in attacking the best defender of the year, so often mocked by American consultants without us really understanding why exactly.
Jayson Kidd, first of all, the Dallas coach: “the game plan (on this possession) was to give the ball to Luka, so that he does what Luka does in these kinds of moments. We talked about the idea of a two-point shot (to equalize), but when he started to make Rudy Gobert dance we saw the step-back coming, and the rest was written. »
Then, the broadcasters’ round table, with Doncic surrounded by Shaq and Daymond Green, two usual detractors of the French pivot. An exchange that can be summarized as follows:
– O’Neal: “Can you explain to us how you decide to play this last action? »
– Doncic: “I think it depends on who defends me.”
– O’Neal: “There he was the best defender of the year” (fat laughs with a knowing glance at Green)
– Doncic: “He’s very big, he can’t move very fast. I’m not fast but I can be faster than him” (fat laughter again).
In short, freewheeling Rudy Bashing, while no one is thinking of running into Anthony Edwards, guilty of a terrible loss of the ball on the previous possession and at least as responsible for the turn the series is taking for the Wolves, trailing 2 -0 with two games to follow in Dallas.