Rudy Gobert set the tone early in Game 5 when he slid under Victor Wembanyama on a closeout that sent the Spurs star stumbling awkwardly to the floor. Officials upgraded the play to a flagrant-1, and suddenly the tension from Game 4 carried straight into Minnesota’s response night. The bad blood had been simmering ever since Wembanyama’s elbow to Naz Reid led to the first ejection of his career.

Despite outrage from Timberwolves fans and calls for further punishment, the NBA cleared the Spurs phenom to play. League officials determined the elbow warranted a Flagrant 2 and automatic ejection, but not additional discipline because they did not view the contact as escalating beyond the in-game punishment already assessed. Minnesota answered physically from the opening tip. Victor Wembanyama briefly showed some discomfort, holding his right ankle. Analyst Skip Bayless, who has supported San Antonio, felt like it was 2017 again.

“Dangerous cheap shot by Gobert, sticking his foot under Wemby before he came down from shooting a 3. It’s the PaCheapShot rule that knocked Kawhi out of Game 1 vs Golden State,” Bayless wrote on X.

Only minutes into the game, Ayo Dosunmu got in Wembanyama’s face after a heated exchange, signaling the Wolves had no intention of letting emotions cool. Naz Reid later picked up a technical after shoving Wembanyama during an offensive rebound battle, another flashpoint in a game already boiling over.

Yet the most surprising moment came from Gobert. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year and Wembanyama aren’t just rivals – they are teammates for France and shared the heartbreak of settling for Olympic silver in Paris. Gobert had even praised the 22-year-old’s obsessive attention to detail days earlier.

“A few weeks ago [Victor Wembanyama] asked me what kind of filter I had in my house… It just tells you how his mind is,” Gobert told reporters.

Over the course of this series, Wembanyama has evolved into the biggest obstacle standing between Minnesota and a return to the Western Conference Finals. After averaging dominant numbers throughout the matchup and already delivering a 39-point masterpiece in Game 3, the Spurs star forced the Timberwolves into a far more physical defensive approach.

Coupled with what happened in Game 4, Rudy Gobert decided to set the tone. While the Spurs All-Star attempted a three-pointer in the first quarter, Gobert attacked the closeout. He pushed himself as close to Wemby as possible, sliding his feet in the Spurs star’s landing space.

Zaza Pachulia is the reason the league began to analyze shot contests. During the 2017 WCF, the Warriors center targeted Kawhi Leonard’s injured ankle. He raided his landing space, leading to an awkward fall for Leonard. He was ruled out for the entire series, which the Spurs eventually lost. Bayless felt Gobert’s action was reminiscent of Pachulia’s incident.

At least the NBA agreed. Since Pachulia’s ‘dirty play’, the league introduced guidelines for hostile closeouts. Officials looked at the review to determine Rudy Gobert’s closeout on Victor Wembanyama met the grounds for the flagrant one. The Spurs star shot three free throws, missing one.

Given Wemby avoided a suspension for Game 5, the Timberwolves were determined to make a statement. However, it was more of the same that resulted in Wembanyama’s dangerous elbow against Reid. Minnesota pushed him to the ground, played with extra physicality, and challenged the current DPOY. Gobert’s closeout didn’t seem as dangerous or pose the risk of injury to Wembanyama.

Still, the referees focused on two specific details during the review: Gobert’s foot placement beneath Wembanyama’s landing area and the late slide forward after the shot attempt. The ruling also effectively acted as an NBA warning for Gobert moving forward. Under current NBA rules, that combination is enough to trigger a hostile-closeout violation and warrant a flagrant upgrade.

More importantly for Gobert, the foul now puts him on thin ice moving forward. The NBA’s flagrant-point system carries automatic disciplinary consequences once players continue accumulating dangerous-play violations.

Another Flagrant 1 or any Flagrant 2 could quickly escalate into an automatic ejection, league review, additional fines, or even a suspension, depending on the total points assessed. In many ways, the ruling served as a warning shot from the league office as much as an in-game punishment.

Should Victor Wembanyama be playing Game 5?

The Timberwolves didn’t wait for Wembanyama to elbow one of their teammates to try to test him. They’ve thrown the 22-year-old around, trying to punk him. However, even if we put all of the things they’ve done against Wemby, it wasn’t as bad as his elbow on Naz Reid. The Timberwolves center could have been hurt worse.

The referees were right to eject Victor Wembanyama following that elbow. But the reaction to his play called for greater action. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins and several others felt it warranted a suspension.

“All eyes are watching because if the NBA decides not to suspend him, then they’re sending the message that they prioritize views, stardom, and money over a person’s well-being,” Perk said on ESPN.

Shams Charania soon announced the NBA would allow the Spurs star to participate in Game 5. The only punishment came in the form of an ejection in Game 4. The NBA didn’t suspend him or impose a fine for the violent play. That certainly riled up a few people, including Draymond Green.

The Warriors forward, partly due to his reputation, has been suspended a few times, including for choking Rudy Gobert a few seasons ago. The time he blatantly struck Jusuf Nurkic, the league announced an indefinite suspension. The four-time champion didn’t want Victor Wembanyama to face that situation. But he did point out the hypocrisy from the NBA.

“What if it was Naz Reid elbowing Wemby like that? What would have happened? I think this situation would look totally different. There would be fines. There would be suspensions. Listen, I’m not one to ever want to see guys get suspended, because I think that s–t is wack. But standards have been set. Fines have happened. Jaden McDaniels and Joker (Nikola Jokic) just got fined for much less,” Green said on his podcast.

Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves clearly agreed. What are your thoughts on the situation? Let us know your views in the comments below.