Timberwolves suspend Rudy Gobert for play-in game vs. Lakers
The Minnesota Timberwolves have suspended three-time defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert for Tuesday’s play-in tournament game with against the Lakers.
The team announced the decision Monday, one day after Gobert punched teammate Kyle Anderson on the bench during a game against New Orleans on Sunday.
“Emotions got the best of me today,” Gobert tweeted Sunday. “I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the [organization] and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.”
Minnesota also will be without wing Jaden McDaniels after he broke his hand punching a wall during the game against the Pelicans.
Remarkably after both the Gobert and McDaniels incidents, Minnesota came back to beat the Pelicans to ensure their spot in Tuesday’s play-in game against the Lakers.
Gobert averaged 13.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in his first season with the Timberwolves.
LeBron James makes eight three-pointers in season-ending win for Lakers, who earn seventh seed for the play-in tournament vs. Minnesota on Tuesday.
McDaniels scored 12.1 points per game in his third season on 39.8% shooting from three-point range while blossoming into one of the NBA’s top defenders.
The winner of the Lakers-Timberwolves game will face No. 2-seeded Memphis in the first round of the NBA playoffs beginning Sunday. The loser will face the winner of New Orleans-Oklahoma City on Friday, with the winner getting to face No. 1 Denver in the playoffs.
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