Things are not going well for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their final regular-season game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Moments after Rudy Gobert was sent home by the team for punching teammate Kyle Anderson, forward Jaden McDaniels decided to take his frustrations in the game out on a wall while walking down the tunnel.
That move resulted in him leaving the rest of the game with a right hand injury.
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Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves holds his follow through during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 27, 2023 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
It’s unknown what exactly McDaniels was mad about – the Timberwolves were down 55-47 at the end of the first half – but he clearly wasn’t happy when he decided to punch an object that wasn’t going to give any cushion.
The Timberwolves didn’t provide an update on the specific injury for McDaniels.
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In the case of Gobert, he and Anderson got into a heated exchange on the bench during a timeout in the first half. Things reached another level when Gobert decided to step forward and punch Anderson in the chest.
Taurean Prince jumped from his seat and pushed Gobert away from the situation as other Timberwolves players and staff got in the middle of both players.
Gobert was seen going down the Timberwolves’ tunnel, and he never returned to the game as the team didn’t just make him wait in the locker room for the game to end – they sent him out of the arena altogether.
Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Target Center on April 9, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
These incidents couldn’t come at a worse time for Minnesota; a win against the Pelicans would improve their seeding in the Western Conference ahead of the NBA play-in tournament.
Coming into the game, the Pelicans were just ahead of the Timberwolves in the eighth seed, but a win for the ‘Wolves would put them in that position.
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Why does that matter?
Well, the No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament has at least two opportunities to solidify a seed in the first round, either the No. 7 or No. 8. Home-court advantage would also come into question, depending on the seeding.
However, if the ‘Wolves stayed in the No. 9 seed, they must win two games to reach the first round of the playoffs.
Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 27, 2023 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Either way, the Timberwolves will be playing basketball past Sunday, which gives these two incidents horrible timing at the most important moment of the season.
