In the middle of tonight’s matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns, the crowd inside Target Center was left stunned with what unfolded on the court. Rudy Gobert, normally one of the team’s calmer and more composed presences, suddenly became the center of chaos when one defensive sequence spiraled out of control, leading to his ejection after officials reviewed the play.

Moments later, the replay hit the Jumbotron. On a Suns drive, center Mark Williams attacked the rim against Gobert. In response, Gobert delivered a hard elbow to his midsection, sending the opponent to the floor. As tensions rose, Gobert drew an immediate whistle, but it did not end the drama.

The situation intensified when officials began reviewing the foul. Soon, it became clear that the foul met the criteria for an ejection, and, within seconds, the referees signaled the ejection, officially removing Gobert from the contest.

The sequence occurred with 7:59 left in the third quarter, and his loss is massive for the Wolves, whose defensive rating is more than 15 points better with him on the court this season. In his absence, the team has relied on Naz Reid to fill those minutes, and despite being undersized, he’s been solid so far.

Gobert finished the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a steal, and has been the team’s third leading scorer tonight. After the heard foul, Williams stayed to shoot his free throws, checking out shortly after. He has since checked back in, helping to close the game out in the fourth.

This is Gobert‘s first ejection of the season, and he faces a fine of $2,000 minimum. He’s also up to five flagrant foul points on the season, meaning a Flagrant 1 will give him a one game suspension, whereas a Flagrant 2 will lead to a two-game suspension.

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Poor Starts Becoming a Concern Ahead of Suns Matchup

Minnesota entered tonight’s matchup on a six-game winning streak, but the wins haven’t come easy. Rudy Gobert’s team have fallen behind in five straight games, needing outstanding late-game execution to claw their way out of holes they dug themselves into. Their last example was a 109-106 grinder against the lowly LA Clippers, who currently sit at 14th in the Western Conference.

Offensively, Anthony Edwards has continued to carry the team with 28.1 points per game on 48.8% from the field along with a fiery 41.6% beyond the arc. Jaden McDaniels has also stepped up his scoring, and Julius Randle keeps Minnesota balanced. However, despite their production, lapse in defensive intensity early in games, especially without Gobert, is a constant concern as the team keeps forcing comeback scenarios.

The Suns arrived with their own challenges tonight, after losing three of their last four. Devin Booker remains out with a groin issue, which leaves Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and breakout guard Collin Gillespie to carry the load. Phoenix stressed defense as a key factor in their system, and with two physical teams facing off, the matchup was bound to be heated from the tipoff.

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