Jazz center Rudy Gobert accused Dion Waiters of a dirty play after the Heat guard crashed into Gobert’s knees while diving for a loose ball. Gobert will miss 4-6 weeks with a bone bruise.
Waiters, via Shandel Richardson of the SunSentinel
“I’ve never been a dirty player in my life,” Waiters said. “I went for the ball. Tell him to get out of his feelings and that’s what it is, just like that.”
I don’t know Waiters’ intent, the key determination for whether the play was dirty. He did go more toward Gobert’s knees than the ball, but I wouldn’t assume perfect balance and body control. Waiters was stumbling as he tried to change direction.
Without getting inside Waiters’ head, it’s impossible to definitively side with him or Gobert.