In the middle of tonight’s matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns, the crowd inside Target Center was left stunned by what unfolded on the court. Rudy Gobert, usually 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 (behind the ribcage), sending the opponent to the floor hard. The Timberwolves player drew an immediate whistle, but it did not end the drama.

Gobert immediately knew he was in trouble. He raised his finger to acknowledge his play. But the situation intensified when officials began reviewing the foul. Soon, it became clear that the play warranted a Flagrant 2, and within seconds, the referees ejected Gobert from the contest.

“There is wind-up and significant impact to the ribs of Williams, who is airborne and a vulnerable player with a high potential for injury,” crew chief Tyler Ford said while announcing the decision. “That contact is both unnecessary and excessive.”

The sequence occurred with 7:59 left in the third quarter, and Gobert’s loss proved to be massive for the Timberwolves, whose defensive rating is more than 15 points better with him on the court this season.

Gobert finished the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, an assist, and a steal. He was the team’s third-leading scorer on the night.

After the hard foul, Williams stayed to shoot his free throws, checking out shortly after. But he checked back in later, helping to close the game out in the fourth, as the depleted Suns managed to end Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.

This is Gobert‘s first ejection of the season, and he’ll face a fine of $2,000 at the bare minimum. He’s also up to five flagrant foul points for the season, meaning one more 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 amid Suns matchup

The Timberwolves entered tonight’s game on a five-game winning streak, but the wins haven’t come easily. Tonight was not the right time to lose Rudy Gobert. It’s because his team had fallen behind in all five of those wins, needing outstanding late-game execution to claw its way out of the holes it had dug itself into. Their last example was a 109-106 grinder against the lowly Los Angeles Clippers, who currently sit 14th in the Western Conference.

Offensively, Anthony Edwards has continued to carry the team with (career-high) 28.1 points per game on 48.8% shooting from the field, along with a fiery 41.6% beyond the arc. Jaden McDaniels has also stepped up his scoring, and Julius Randle keeps the team balanced.

Despite their production, however, lapses in defensive intensity early in games, especially without Gobert, remain a constant concern, as they keep forcing comeback scenarios.

On the other hand, the Suns arrived with their own challenges tonight, after losing three of their last four. Devin Booker remains out with a groin issue, which left Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and breakout guard Collin Gillespie to carry the load. The stressed defense is 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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