In their first close contest in what feels like forever, the Oklahoma City Thunder experienced a stressful 113-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Those two squads always produce classics as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards embrace their NBA rivalry.
Of course, with close games come physical contact. As Gilgeous-Alexander scored an efficient 40 points while dealing with an illness, some calls and non-calls caused a stir. It required a Pool Report with Crew Chief Josh Tiven.
The first was about Rudy Gobert’s flagrant foul on Alex Caruso. Contesting his layup, he committed a hard foul that resulted in a nasty spillage. The OKC crowd booed on. The replay shows he hit Caruso in the head as he tried to block his attempt.
When asked how Caruso’s initial grab of Gobert’s arm factored into the call, Tiven said that wasn’t discussed when they went into review.
Tiven said: “Gobert makes unnecessary contact to the face of Caruso, and Caruso grabbing Gobert’s arm wasn’t a factor. He’s a vulnerable airborne player with potential for injury in the air, and he was bracing himself in midair as a result of the illegal contact by Rudy.”
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Earlier in the game, Gobert also received a technical foul. He hit Isaiah Hartenstein in the face as both tried to grab a rebound. When asked if the replay confirmed that he did get hit on the face, Tivens said that was the case.
Tiven said: “Contact to the bridge of the nose by Gobert was confirmed via replay.”
When asked why Lu Dort’s foul on Julius Randle didn’t warrant a review for a potential hostile act, Tivens said the referee crew didn’t think it was worth the stoppage.
Tiven said: “At the time of the foul, the crew did not see contact that warranted a review.”
So, there you have it. Three separate calls and non-calls about the OKC’s 2025 NBA Cup win over Minnesota were asked and answered.
