Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert suspended because of flagrant foul points pileup

A lurking problem for the Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert reared its head in the fourth quarter of the team’s 104-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, Jan. 11.

Gobert committed a flagrant foul when he attempted to close out on a three-point attempt from San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama at Target Center. Wembanyama fell to the ground as Gobert’s foot impeded Wembanyama’s ability to land. Upon review, officials deemed it a “reckless” closeout from Gobert and issued him a flagrant foul.

That will trigger a one-game suspension for Gobert for Tuesday night’s game at Milwaukee.

All-Star guard Anthony Edwards will miss Tuesday’s game with what the team says is right foot injury maintenance. Edwards has been listed as questionable the last few games because of that but has played. He missed three games in December because of a right foot injury.

Gobert now has six flagrant foul points on the season, stemming from a total of five flagrant fouls (one of those fouls was a flagrant foul penalty two), and that means a one-game suspension, per league rules.

“It’s tough, because I try to be contesting shots in the heat of the moment,” Gobert said. “I don’t think there’s at any time an intention of getting anybody hurt or putting people in dangerous situations. It’s tough. But got to play through it.”

This is an issue, though, that won’t be going away for Gobert or the Wolves the rest of the season, and it could get more punitive. Under the guidelines for flagrant fouls, Gobert will receive a suspension for each additional flagrant he receives until the end of the regular season. Once Gobert reaches seven flagrant foul points, every flagrant foul he receives after that will result in a two-game suspension. In a bit of good news for him and the Wolves, the flagrant foul points will reset in the playoffs.

His flagrant fouls this season have come from a mix of plays at the rim in which he has made illegal contact and a few of those “reckless closeouts.”

The Wolves will often complain Gobert is on the receiving end of a lot of cheap contact under the rim. Coach Chris Finch said part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ strategy in the Wolves’ victory Jan. 8 was to agitate Gobert and get him in foul trouble. While Gobert said he understands plays like those closeouts are considered flagrants, he would like to see some of the contact against him called appropriately.

“We also got to protect the players. It’s understandable,” Gobert said. “As long as they keep calling flagrants when I get hit in the back of the head, which happens every night, I’m cool with it.

“Protecting the players is important, but let’s protect all the players.”

Some corners of the Wolves fan base have been wondering when rookie center Joan Beringer might get a chance at some rotation minutes. That time could come Tuesday with Gobert out.