What happened between Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson? A closer look at the altercation between the two Wolves stars
Rudy Gobert recently punched his teammate Kyle Anderson during the second quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. As a result, Gobert was dismissed from the game by the team. Anderson, on the other hand, continued to play to help the Wolves secure the 8th seed in the Play-In Tournament.
The NBA is yet to hear from Rudy Gobert about why he punched Kyle Anderson during the timeout. Their argument was caught on camera, however, the exact conversation taking place wasn't mic'd up. Looking at their gestures alone, it appears that Gobert was furious at Anderson for a play that took place before the timeout.
Out of frustration, the big Frenchman swung at Kyle and was sent back to the locker room. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly told reporters:
"We made the decision to send Rudy Gobert home after the incident in the second quarter. His behavior on the bench was unacceptable and we will handle the situation internally."
Rudy Gobert throws a shot at teammate Kyle Anderson during a timeout. https://t.co/dRzi3ALkoJ
Will Minnesota suspend Rudy Gobert in a crucial Play-In Tournament game against the LA Lakers?
Rudy Gobert was sent home after his unacceptable actions against his teammate Kyle Anderson on Sunday. The Minnesota Timberwolves might have secured the 8th seed for the Play-In Tournament, but at what cost? The Wolves organization has made it clear that they will not tolerate such behavior even from a star like Gobert.
The big question now is, will Minnesota decide to suspend Gobert? While that does sound like the most appropriate action to take, it's something that they might want to reconsider. Suspending Rudy only means that he won't be available to play against the LA Lakers in a crucial Play-In Tournament game.
Without Rudy in the lineup, the Wolves might have difficulty countering LA's star big man Anthony Davis. Plus, with the most recent acquisition of Tristan Thompson, the Lakers now have a more solid paint. Having Gobert in the lineup is important for Minnesota in the situation that they're in.
As of right now, there aren't any reports on what actions the organization will take to properly discipline their star center.