MINNEAPOLIS — Rudy Gobert rejoin Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday followed a suspension imposed by the team in their first game, but a prolonged back problem affected his status in the second.
Gobert was kicked out of the arena on Sunday after hurling a punch at a teammate Kyle Anderson during an argument in a group chat during the second half of Minnesota’s final game of the season. The Wolves kept him at home as punishment as they arrived in Los Angeles and lost 108-102 in extra time to the Lakers on Tuesday after taking a 15-point lead.
Speaking to reporters Thursday for the first time since the public fight, Gobert said he’s probably not going to be fit enough to take on the Lakers anyway. He is aiming to return on Friday when Wolves host Oklahoma City in their last chance to reach the knockout stages, but there are no guarantees.
“Still pretty sore, still not moving as much as I’d like, but little improvement every day,” said Gobert, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
The Wolves said the air had cleared long before Gobert reunited with them on the floor on Thursday.
“We both apologized to each other and you moved on. That’s life,” Gobert said. “It’s different when you have millions of people watching a video and having an opinion on what happened but we can’t control it. What we can control is the respect we have for each other. and our relationship.”
Anderson’s feelings were the same in post-game interviews on Sunday and Tuesday before the Wolves faced off against the Lakers.
“I still love Kyle. He’s still my brother. I tell everyone, ‘Sometimes you struggle with your family. Sometimes you struggle with people you love and respect so much’. “, said Gobert. “That’s life. No one is perfect. Mistakes happen and then you grow up and you move on.”
After the Wolves paid a hefty price – in terms of players and first-round draft picks – to get Gobert in a deal with Utah last summer, the 7-foot-1 Frenchman was had a disappointing debut in Minnesota. He struggled to fit in as the second big guy in the attack with The town of Karl-Anthony and get on the same page as the defenders.
The wolves won’t have at least one starter, Jaden McDaniels, for breaking his arm after he punched a wall in the tunnel near the bench out of frustration during the same match when Gobert hit Anderson in the upper chest. One of their top reserves, Naz Reidis out with a broken wrist.
“Obviously our goal is to be on top of the West,” Gobert said. “But you have adversity, you have things that don’t work out the way you want them to, and that’s part of life.”
Gobert’s back problem landed him on the suspect list during Sunday’s game against New Orleans when he lost his cool. Coach Chris Finch said he looked “a little tight” during Thursday’s training session.
“We’ll continue to work on it,” Finch said.
Will Gobert play?
“I hope so. I can’t really say,” Finch said. “But we haven’t ruled him out.”
