Rudy Gobert attempted just three field goals during his 38 minutes on the court at Chase Center last night. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year did contribute his usual 9 rebounds and 3 blocks, but after losing the game 106-114, he wasn’t pleased with his lack of touches.
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Since his days in Utah, Gobert’s offensive production has often suffered from his teams’ lead guards’ hesitancy to pass to him in clutch situations. Donovan Mitchell notoriously averaged just 2 passes per game to the 7-footer. The trend has unfortunately continued in Minnesota.
During the Wolves’ home win against the Warriors on Saturday, Gobert enjoyed a rare exception to this phenomenon when Anthony Edwards threw two lobs to him during the fourth quarter. Following the game, he joked that “It felt like Christmas” to be involved in his team’s offense.
Last night did not see that feeling return for the Frenchman. “It wasn’t Christmas today,” Gobert quipped during a post-game locker room interview. “It was Halloween.”
Rudy Gobert was really complementary of Anthony Edwards' decision-making when he got doubled at the end of the last game. He said it "felt like christmas".
After today's game Gobert joked, "it wasn't christmas today". https://t.co/lnrnsafbkm pic.twitter.com/mbZW7kQdvM
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) December 9, 2024
The Stifle Tower’s inconsistent involvement in the offense, coupled with his frustration about his role, have been a deterrent to Minnesota’s success this season. The Western Conference Finalists are 12-11 after losing to Golden State and are currently fighting for a play-in spot.
Earlier this season, they were in the news for all the wrong reasons too. During a closely contested game against Toronto, Gobert called for the ball when he secured an advantage in the paint. However, when Julius Randle waved him off, the 32-year-old slowly walked out of the paint in frustration, earning a 3-second violation and turning the ball over. To make matters worse, the Wolves lost that game as well.
While Randle and Gobert’s partnership still has its rough spots, Minnesota’s roster is slowly developing chemistry and cohesion. Their loss last night was preceded by a four-game win streak and the franchise’s superstar has played a pivotal role in the steadying of the ship.
Anthony Edwards is a vocal leader for the Timberwolves
Despite being just 23 years old, Edwards has had no problems establishing himself as a leader in the locker room. His tenacity and competitiveness have helped him earn his teammates’ respect and he takes full advantage of it to keep the roster accountable.
Following Saturday’s win against the Warriors, he commended his teammates for playing their role on defense.
“Everyone is guarding at a high level, but Jaden and Rudy is being the anchors that we need them to be. Naz and Julius is f***in’ playing defense. I’ve never seen them play defense before. So that’s f***in’ incredible,” the T-Wolves star stated.
The Timberwolves currently hold the fifth best defense in the league, holding teams to 108.2 points per game. With the front office honing in on Ant as the team’s future, it’s evident that defense will be a big part of their identity.
Edwards & Co. now have the rest of the week off to recoup from last night’s loss as their next game is on Friday against the inconsistent Los Angeles Lakers.
