Rudy Gobert wanted the ball, Julius Randle didn't give it to him in bizarre sequence

Gobert slow-walked out of the lane and was called for a three-second violation, one of a litany of late-game mistakes.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert enters the game during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland on Nov. 12, 2024. / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Rudy Gobert posted up Scottie Barnes and was wide open in the paint.

Julius Randle had the ball at the top of the key, but was hesitant to throw the pass. Gobert, appearing frustrated, slow-walked out of the paint, but not in time to avoid a three-second violation. Anthony Edwards walked up to Gobert and chewed him out. It's was a dysfunctional series of events that would only get worse in the final minutes of the game.

The eventual result was a 110-105 Timberwolves loss to the Raptors Thursday night in Toronto.

Barnes celebrated the call, and on the ensuing defensive possession, Gobert fouled Barnes, who made a pair of free throws for a Raptors lead.

Rudy Gobert just protested not getting the ball by getting a 3-second call. And then hip checked Barnes on the next defensive play. Yikes pic.twitter.com/2lyx4NkxME

— DJ (@DJAceNBA) November 22, 2024

After the Wolves and Raptors traded missed 3s, Randle drove and tried to slip the ball to Gobert in the paint, but the ball slipped through Gobert's hands for a turnover, and Barnes made a jumper on the other end. After a timeout, Donte DiVincenzo got the ball stolen by RJ Barrett, who found Barnes in transition for a dunk. A couple possessions later, Jaden McDaniels missed a dunk and Barrett dunked it on the other end for a 106-95 Raptors lead with 2:33 remaining.

It was an utterly dysfunctional sequence of events in the final five minutes of Thursday night's game, a sequence that directly resulted in the Wolves' loss. In a fitting end to what ended up being an ugly defeat, Randle pushed the ball up the court with seconds remaining and fired a pass that slipped through Gobert's hands for a game-ending turnover.

The game was over with Toronto being up by 5 with seconds to go.

Although, naturally we see Julius Randle with a rocketed low feed to Rudy Gobert that he fumbles to turn it over to end the game. Whew. pic.twitter.com/We6Ip0TTcM

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) November 22, 2024

It's clear the Wolves have some issues to work through. They'll need to figure them out sooner than later.