Rudy Gobert will be suspended for one game due to his accumulation of flagrant fouls, reports The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (Twitter link).
Gobert was assessed a flagrant foul for a reckless closeout on a Victor Wembanyama three-point attempt in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game between the Timberwolves and the Spurs. Wembanyama came down on Gobert’s foot but, after flexing his ankle on the ground, appeared to be uninjured.
The call marked Gobert’s fifth flagrant foul this season, four of which are categorized as Flagrant Foul 1, and one Flagrant Foul 2, which occurred in a game against the Suns. That puts Gobert at six total flagrant foul points, which automatically earns him a one-game suspension.
Following the suspension, which Gobert figures to serve on Tuesday against the Bucks, any flagrant assessed to the 33-year-old for the rest of the season will result in a two-game suspension, notes Chris Hine of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). That counter resets once the postseason begins.
This is the inevitable fate of defensive-minded players that can no longer move the way they used to. Rudy has also been a head case for years. I don’t know what’s up with this guy. I watch Wolves games and I’m just left asking “Why”, a bunch of the time.
Lol Rudy is crucial to the success of this team and he’s having a great season. A competing take: this is the inevitable fate of defensive-minded centers that hustle and close out against stretch 5s shooting threes. Few of these flagrants were unsportsmanlike.
Keep going Ru.
I never implied that he isn’t effective in his role. I simply said that he is not an elite defensive player anymore and, as such, more of his attempts to make elite defensive movements will end up being seen as reckless. 5 years ago, he would have made the play and it would have looked way different.
All good bro, I’m not mad at you. He’s been elite defensively this year tho. That cliff you’re worried about is a year or two away still IMO.
He’s always looked a little clumsy and been prone to boneheaded fouls.
He’s actually the MOST elite defensive player this year. But it’s cool. FOUR of his flagrant fouls this year weren’t even FOULS 10 years ago.
He takes incredible care of himself. I think he’s just entering his prime and might be able to play like this for 5 – 6 years.
He is 30 something. No big man would be dominating on the perimeter. But if we had real big man who could punch guards for switching like joker the game would be different. Rude gets a bad rap but is a really good player.
his defensive value outweighs his offensive limitations, the wolves are better with him on the court