Shared tears wouldn’t stop the Minnesota Timberwolves from responding to Victor Wembanyama’s Game 4 antics. The Spurs sensation blatantly elbowed Naz Reid. Wemby was ejected for the first time in his career, with calls for suspension or hefty punishment. The NBA ended up doing nothing. Wembanyama was cleared for Game 5, a decision the Wolves took a stand against on the court.

Within the first few minutes, Ayo Dosunmu challenged the 7’4” MVP finalist. They just shared words, a subtle warning for the atmosphere to expect. Naz Reid was later handed a technical foul. Minnesota’s backup center pushed Wemby from the back while contesting for an offensive rebound.

But before Reid’s get back, it was shockingly Rudy Gobert who landed the first blow on Wembanyama. They played together for France, sharing the sorrow of winning Silver in Paris. A week back, the four-time DPOY was praising his countryman’s attention to detail. “A few weeks ago [Victor Wembanyama] asked me what kind of filter I had in my house… It just tells you how his mind is,” Gobert told reporters.

Over that period of time, Wembanyama has become the tallest threat to the Timberwolves’ championship aspirations. Coupled with what happened in Game 4, Rudy Gobert decided to set the tone. While the Spurs All-Star attempted a three-pointer in the first quarter, Gobert attacked the closeout. He pushed himself as close to Wemby as possible, sliding his feet in the Spurs star’s landing space.

Victor Wembanyama briefly showed some discomfort, holding his right ankle. Analyst Skip Bayless, who has supported San Antonio, felt like it was 2017 again. “Dangerous cheap shot by Gobert, sticking his foot under Wemby before he came down from shooting a 3. It’s the PaCheapShot rule that knocked Kawhi out of Game 1 vs Golden State,” Bayless wrote on X.

Zaza Pachulia is the reason the league began to analyse shot contests. During the 2017 WCF, the Warriors center targeted Kawhi Leonard’s injured ankle. He raided his landing space, leading to an awkward fall for Leonard. He was ruled out for the entire series, which the Spurs eventually lost. Bayless felt Gobert’s action was reminiscent of Pachulia’s incident.

At least the NBA agreed. Since Pachulia’s ‘dirty play’, the league introduced guidelines for hostile closeouts. Officials looked at the review to determine Rudy Gobert’s closeout on Victor Wembanyama met the grounds for the flagrant one. The Spurs star shot three free throws, missing one.

Given Wemby avoided a suspension for Game 5, the Timberwolves were determined to make a statement. However, it was more of the same that resulted in Wembanyama’s dangerous elbow against Reid. Minnesota pushed him to the ground, played with extra physicality, and challenged the current DPOY. Gobert’s closeout didn’t seem as dangerous or pose the risk of injury to Wembanyama.

The referees saw the contact beneath the knee and the Wolves center sliding his feet. That was where the decision came from.

Should Victor Wembanyama be playing Game 5?

The Timberwolves didn’t wait for Wembanyama to elbow one of their teammates to try to test him. They’ve thrown the 22-year-old around, trying to punk him. However, even if we put all of the things they’ve done against Wemby, it wasn’t as bad as his elbow on Naz Reid. The Timberwolves center could have been hurt worse.

The referees were right to eject Victor Wembanyama following that elbow. But the reaction to his play called for greater action. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins and several others felt it warranted a suspension. “All eyes are watching because if the NBA decides not to suspend him, then they’re sending the message that they prioritize views, stardom, and money over a person’s well-being,” Perk said on ESPN.

Shams Charania soon announced the NBA would allow the Spurs star to participate in Game 5. The only punishment came in the form of an ejection in Game 4. The NBA didn’t suspend him or impose a fine for the violent play. That certainly riled up a few people, including Draymond Green.

The Warriors forward, partly due to his reputation, has been suspended a few times, including for choking Rudy Gobert a few seasons ago. The time he blatantly struck Jusuf Nurkic, the league announced an indefinite suspension. The four-time champion didn’t want Victor Wembanyama to face that situation. But he did point out the hypocrisy from the NBA.

“What if it was Naz Reid elbowing Wemby like that? What would have happened? I think this situation would look totally different. There would be fines. There would be suspensions. Listen, I’m not one to ever want to see guys get suspended, because I think that s–t is wack. But standards have been set. Fines have happened. Jaden McDaniels and Joker (Nikola Jokic) just got fined for much less,” Green said on his podcast.

Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves clearly agreed. What are your thoughts on the situation? Let us know your views in the comments below.