“Cheating a** refs!” Anthony Edwards could see HUGE fine after video captures superstar slamming referees

The Oklahoma City Thunder received 22 free throws whereas the Timberwolves received 15, Anthony Edwards alluded many fouls were not called.

“Cheating a** refs!” Anthony Edwards could see HUGE fine after video captures superstar slamming referees

Anthony Edwards called out the referees for their officiating during tonight's game against the Thunder (image via YouTube)

The Minnesota Timberwolves went up against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the 29th of January. The matchup between two of the top seeds of the Western Conference is always a must-watch. A brilliant game nevertheless. But tonight, the highlight was not a play or move by a player. Rather something else took precedence.

After the game ended, Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards proceeded to the bench and dapped up his teammates to congratulate them on the win. During this exchange, he uttered the words;

Cheating a** refs!
Anthony Edwards said during the exchange

Edwards’ comment was picked up by the on-court microphones. What Edwards alluded to was the discrepancy in foul calls from the referees. The Timberwolves received 15 free throws compared to 22 for the Thunder. The referees missing a lot of calls was apparent even to those watching on their screens.

FS Video
YouTube video

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves had lost 3 of their 5 games before tonight’s matchup. They knew the top spot was theirs to lose if they lost against their closest rivals. At the end of the first half, the Timberwolves had a slender 2-point lead. The Thunder proceeded to swing the game in their favor in the third quarter.

Edwards and his teammates proceeded to increase their defensive intensity to slow the Thunder down in the fourth quarter. This momentum swing led to a scoring masterclass from the Timberwolves on their way to a win. The Timberwolves rounded out the game 107-101 as victors to hold on to their top seed.

Does Anthony Edwards not know how the league reacts against criticism of the officials?

Anthony Edwards knows how the league reacts to comments on the officiating. He knows that once his comments were picked up on camera, a fine was incoming. Bally Sports North reporter Lea B. Olsen caught Edwards on the court after the game. When asked how Edwards felt the game took its course, he had this to say:

Imma take this fine, but the refs did not give us no calls tonight.
Anthony Edwards said

Edwards knows his comments will attract a fine from the league. But, he did not seem to care about the fine.

Anthony Edwards later added that he does not mind the fine after he said referees did not officiate properly
Anthony Edwards later added that he does not mind the fine after he said referees did not officiate properly (image via Twitter)

Take for example the case of Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown. He aggressively pursued a referee on the court. He later backed up his actions by calling out the officiating with video evidence during the post-game press conference. The league proceeded to fine Brown $50,000 for his actions. The league is known to reprimand anyone who talks negatively or questions the officiating regarding any game.

Edwards wanted to make his point about the officiating clear. He was fine with the fine coming his way. He wanted to ensure the league took notice of the bad officiating.

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