The Minnesota Timberwolves had a tough night Monday. They faced the Phoenix Suns, who were depleted by absences. Although the rival team lacked Devin Booker, Minnesota could not secure the victory. Despite the loss, Anthony Edwards delivered an outstanding individual performance.
The Wolves star scored 40 points. However, his titanic effort was not enough. The Suns decisively took control of the game and secured a close 108-105 victory. An incident in the third quarter changed the course: They ejected starting center Rudy Gobert following a controversial play. The Frenchman struck center Mark Williams with his forearm during a dunk attempt. The game was very tight at that time.
The defensive impact is irreplaceable
According to Athlonsports, the press questioned Edwards after the game. They asked him about playing without Gobert. The team tried to compensate for his notable absence, but nobody replicated his impact in the paint. Edwards gave a sincere answer about his teammate’s value: “You can’t make up for Rudy’s absence,” he said.
Anthony Edwards on how the wolves can make up for Rudy Gobert’s absence after being ejected
“You can’t make up for Rudy’s absence, when he’s in the game it’s like they don’t want to go down there and finish. So of course he’s truly missed when he’s not on the court” pic.twitter.com/JwM3fRc9jC— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) December 9, 2025
He explained how Gobert changes the opponent’s mindset: “…when he’s in the game, it’s like they don’t want to come down and finish.” His presence intimidates opposing attackers. “So, of course, you really miss him when he’s not on the court,” he concluded.
Minnesota had a size advantage over the Suns because they fielded Julius Randle and Naz Reid. However, they did not maximize that physical advantage, and Phoenix took advantage, inflicting damage from long range. The Suns hit 36.4% of their outside shots. This game marked the second of the annual series. The season series involves three matchups, and the third one takes place on March 17. Now, Minnesota must win that game and must avoid a sweep in the particular series.
