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MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was ejected from the Monday, Dec. 8, game against the Phoenix Suns after his foul on center Mark Williams in the second half was ruled a flagrant 2 after video review.
The Suns (14-10) won, 108-105, to snap Minnesota’s five-game winning streak and end their two-game skid. The T-Wolves (15-9) dropped to 0-2 against Phoenix this season.
Gobert fouled Williams while Williams was airborne, looking to dunk the ball in the third quarter. He caught Williams on the side with a foreman and Williams went down.
“I’m not really thinking he’s doing that,” Williams said after the game. “I’m he’s just going to contest the shot. That’s for the people to decide, but I’m good. He chose to do that. Glad I was able to finish the game out.”
“It felt good when it left my hands. Dillon hit me in the corner. I was in rhythm.”
Mark Williams on first career made 3 in Suns 108-105 win over Minnesota Timberwolves.
Williams 22 points, 7 rebounds.
On Rudy Gobert flagrant 2: “I’m not thinking he’s doing that. I’m thinking… pic.twitter.com/ev8mMbzUqA
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 9, 2025
Lying on the court for a couple of minutes, Williams eventually got up and headed to the bench, rubbing his right side a little bit.
Williams said after the game he just got the wind knocked out him and that he was fine.
After review, it was determined that Gobert had a windup and made “excessive” contact on a vulnerable player who was in the air as Williams was.
The risk of injury factored into the Gobert foul being ruled a flagrant 2 and ejection.
“We missed Rudy, for what? What’s that do?” T-Wolves All-Star guard Anthony Edwards said. “The middle of the third quarter, so we missin’ our defensive presence down there, so it’s tough.”
Gobert was ejected with 7:59 left in the third quarter with the score tied at 69-69. Gobert ended the game with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
“I mean, when he’s at the bottom of the floor there are a lotta opportunities for lobs, you know, putbacks, stuff like that,” T-Wolves forward Julius Randle said after the game. “He was creating some second chance opportunities for us, and obviously a huge loss.”
Williams has had a history of injuries. He played in 106 total games in his three NBA seasons in Charlotte. He has played in 20 of Phoenix’s 24 games this season with four DNPs on the second of a back-to-back.
Williams finished with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting (7-of-9 on free throws) and seven rebounds in 29 minutes as six Suns reached double figures with five being starters.
Collin Gillespie scored 19 points, Dillon Brooks went for 18 playing through a sore left Achilles, Grayson Allen contributed 12, Royce O’Neale chipped in 11 and Oso Ighodaro added 10 off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting.
The 7-footer Williams came into Monday’s game averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in his first season with the Suns, who traded two first-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets for him during the 2025 NBA Draft.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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