MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves suspended center Rudy Gobert for Tuesday night's play-in game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Gobert threw a punch at his teammate forward Kyle Anderson during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The altercation happened during a timeout in the second quarter. It appeared Anderson and Gobert were yelling at each other before Gobert hit him in the chest with his hand. Players and coaches had to separate the two teammates and Gobert was sent home during the game.
The Timberwolves posted this statement on their website Monday afternoon: "The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has suspended center Rudy Gobert for one game following yesterday's incident. Gobert will serve his team suspension during tomorrow's game at Los Angeles Lakers."
Gobert also apologized in a post on Twitter.
"Emotions got the best of me today," he wrote. "I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said."
"I think tempers just flared," Anderson said afterward. "That's all."
Anderson said he didn't think the two would have trouble getting along moving forward.
"We want to win games. It is what it is. It ain't the first time someone has swung on me," Anderson said.
President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly issued a statement confirming the Timberwolves decided to send Gobert home after the second-quarter flap.
"His behavior on the bench was unacceptable, and we will handle the situation internally," said Connelly, whose first big move on the job last summer was to acquire Gobert from Utah in a blockbuster trade.
The Wolves beat the Pelicans 113-108 on Sunday to finish in eighth place in the Western Conference and make the play-in tournament.
Another Timberwolves player who lost his cool during the game, ace defender Jaden McDaniels, broke his right hand by hitting a wall in frustration.
On Monday afternoon, the Wolves reported McDaniels suffered fractures of his third and fourth metacarpals.
McDaniels's hand has been placed in a cast and he will be out indefinitely.
Tuesday's game in L.A. tips off at 9 p.m. CST.
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