The second quarter of Wednesday night’s Timberwolves-Rockets matchup got chippy in a hurry, and Jonathan Kuminga found himself right in the middle of it.
With 5:24 left in the period, Alperen Sengun missed a floater at the rim after a strong contest from Kuminga. Kuminga then came down with the defensive rebound for Minnesota, but the possession turned physical almost immediately. As he secured the ball, Kuminga extended his arm and caught Sengun in the face with his elbow.
That play set off a brief fracas between the teams, with tempers rising after Sengun hit the floor from the contact. Officials stepped in to separate everyone and ultimately ruled that Kuminga had committed a flagrant foul penalty one for excessive contact to the head of the opponent.
Kuminga avoided a flagrant foul penalty two and an immediate ejection, in part because he did not wind up before making contact and hit Sengun squarely on the jaw. The contact was clearly excessive, though the intent behind it was not entirely clear.
Jonathan Kuminga catches Alperen Sengun with an elbow to the face on this play 😳
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2026
Kuminga was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul following the play.
Good or bad call? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qLaD1TpBsy
Sengun has been a constant problem inside, and Minnesota has had to absorb that physical style while trying to keep its composure. Even with Anthony Edwards sidelined by a knee injury following surgery, the Timberwolves have stayed right with Houston.
Kuminga has also been a key piece for Minnesota, especially on defense, where his presence matters against scorers like Kevin Durant and an on-fire Jabari Smith Jr.
Through 21 minutes, Kuminga has posted eight points, five rebounds and four assists while going 2-of-6 from the field.
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