Maybe after Game 2, the general NBA media will finally give Rudy Gobert the respect that he deserves. He just had a game where in 28 minutes, he scored two points and grabbed seven boards, and yet, he may have been the MVP of the game for the Timberwolves.
This game was, honestly, like a mini summary of his career. His box score doesn't blow you away, and he got dunked on by Nikola Jokic in the fourth quarter. However, he did so much to help the Timberwolves even this series that won't show up in the stat sheet or the highlight reel, and if you watched the game, you'd know exactly what I'm talking about.
Gobert is playing amazing defense against Jokic
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA, pretty easily. He's one of the greatest offensive minds that has ever touched a ball. Yet, in Game 2, Rudy Gobert handily won the battle against the three-time MVP, playing some of the best on-ball defense I have ever seen from him.
In Game 2, Jokic shot 1-for-8 with Gobert guarding him, amassing four points. When Gobert was on the bench due to foul trouble, Jokic scored 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting in roughly 12 minutes of play. The Wolves had no answer when Gobert was on the bench, but when Gobert was on the floor, the Nuggets had no answer.
Criticizing Gobert's one-on-one defense never held up under scrutiny, and now this false narrative about his game looks straight up laughable.
The Timberwolves found their blueprint to winning this series
If Gobert can guard Jokic 80 percent of as well as he guarded him in the last game, the Timberwolves will have a chance. There are times when Jokic will get his, but as the game goes on, the physicality that Gobert and Randle defend him with will take a toll.
The Timberwolves are the more athletic and more physical team. In Game 2, the entire Nuggets lineup looked gassed the entire fourth quarter, while the Timberwolves hardly looked tired. This series is far from over. Nevertheless, if Gobert can make Jokic look human, I love the Wolves' chances a lot more than I did before this series started.
In all seriousness, though, Gobert needs his respect. He is one of the all-time floor-raisers in the league, and like Chris Finch said postgame, he's basically a walking top-five defense by himself every season. He may be the worst offensive player to ever get into the Hall of Fame when it's all said and done, but it will be much deserved. Gobert is a once-in-a-generation level defender.
Add us as a preferred source on Google