Why is Rudy Gobert not playing tonight against Nuggets? Latest injury update for 3x DPOY (March 19)

Rudy Gobert will not play on Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. He will miss a third consecutive game after suffering a rib injury against the LA Clippers in a 118-100 win on Mar. 12. Gobert sustained a blow in the fourth quarter of that game and didn't return.

The T'Wolves completed the sweep over the Jazz in a two-game mini-series across four days without Gobert. That was a relatively easy challenge for the Western Conference contenders, but Tuesday will be different. The Nuggets are coming off a two-point loss against the Dallas Mavericks but are 11-2 in their last 13 games.

The Timberwolves will fight to contain Denver's impeccable frontline of Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon without Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, their top three forwards/centers. Towns is out for multiple weeks with a knee injury, while Reid won’t play, citing a head ailment.

Minnesota is riding high on confidence, winning its last three games. Anthony Edwards has been phenomenal, averaging 33.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists on 56/39/79 splits in that stretch, carrying the team without his co-stars.

The Timberwolves will bank on him for a miraculous performance to beat the odds against the surging Nuggets.

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How long is Rudy Gobert out for?

Rudy Gobert could return in the next game. His questionable and game-time decision status suggests he's close to returning. He's carried the same status for the past two games before Tuesday's marquee clash. On Monday, Gobert gave an injury update, saying it could be a "matter of days" until he's back, and that the pain was still there.

The Timberwolves play again on Saturday, so there's enough time for Gobert to potentially recover from his rib injury. It was a painful blow as the three-time DPOY reportedly struggled to walk and breathe after sustaining the injury.

Rudy Gobert will miss his sixth game of the year on Tuesday. The Timberwolves are 3-2 without him. That could be 3-3 later tonight. Minnesota is playing on the second night of a back-to-back with all these injuries, which severely dampens its shot at causing an upset against the Nuggets.

Kyle Anderson will likely man the center position in Gobert, Towns and Reid's absence. Meanwhile, Luka Garza could see his minutes bump up for this contest. Leonard Miller may also have to contribute.