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Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert on the court during a bout with the Phoenix Suns.
All Rudy Gobert needed was one flagrant foul to find himself suspended by the NBA.
As the league leader in the flagrant department, Gobert added another to his list, making the February 20 outing against the Dallas Mavericks his last for the week. That is, unless he wins an appeal, which is something he plans to pursue.
The veteran center confirmed after the game that the NBA will receive pushback on the call from Gobert and the Timberwolves. The multi-time All-Star strongly believes that he was not deserving of the call, which was described as “unnecessary flailing.”
More Timberwolves News: Timberwolves Fans Sound Off on Rudy Gobert Suspension News
The Timberwolves hope not to see any future absences for Gobert as a result of the call in the game against the Mavs.
GettyTimberwolves center Rudy Gobert is set to serve a one-game suspension, barring any reversals from the NBA.
Rudy Gobert Calls Out NBA Officials
“We’re going to appeal it, and hopefully they look at it, and they see that it was just an accident,” Gobert told reporters. “We will see.”
Gobert indirectly suggests that the officials for the night made an incorrect judgment, which resulted in what he believes to be a weak call. In addition, Gobert called out NBA officials for a lack of two-way consistency. He gets frequent flagrants for his actions, but he feels that players don’t get the same kind of attention when he’s on the other side of it.
“I get hit in the head almost every game, and I never get flagrants,” Gobert sounded off. “But when, sometimes, inadvertently, I hit somebody in the head, they never miss. They’re always very hard on me on that, especially when it’s not intentional. … Just because I’m 7 foot doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt when I get hit in the head. I’m close to a superhuman, but I am not.
What’s Next For Rudy Gobert And The Timberwolves?
A 122-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks included a 22-point, 17-rebound showing from Gobert. He was able to finish the game, checking in for 32 minutes on the night.
With that win, the Timberwolves advanced to 35-22 on the season. While they held the Western Conference’s fifth seed for a moment, a Los Angeles Lakers victory pushed Minnesota into the sixth spot, as they hold more losses than the purple and gold.
Despite their slight move back, the Timberwolves are in a groove. They’ve won their last three games and are 7-3 over their last 10 games. On February 22, they’ll return to their home court for a bout with the Philadelphia 76ers.
For the Timberwolves, a lack of Rudy Gobert could be a massive issue if the Sixers see the return of their star center, Joel Embiid. Although the veteran has been out of the mix with a knee issue, Embiid is day-to-day on Philly’s injury report. Without an All-NBA defender in the front court, the Timberwolves could face some big problems if Gobert’s suspension is upheld.
Soon, the Timberwolves will get answers. If Gobert is indeed out due to a suspension, he’ll look to return on Tuesday, February 24, against the Portland Trail Blazers.
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