Rudy Gobert is an integral part of the Minnesota Timberwolves' success. The entire NBA world realized his immense value last round against the Denver Nuggets when he had one of the best defensive series of all-time against Nikola Jokic.
However, the San Antonio Spurs are a tricky matchup for Gobert, and he hasn't played up to his typical standards. Through five games, Gobert is averaging 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 51.7 percent from the field.
Game 5 was Gobert's worst outing of the series; he scored four points on 1-for-4 shooting. This led to Gobert playing just 22:38 minutes, and the Wolves lost 126-97. Now with their season on the line, the Wolves have some soul-searching to do.
Undoubtedly, Victor Wembanyama's presence at the rim has made things challenging for Gobert. The best path to success against Wemby is going five-out, and that's something you can't do with Gobert on the floor.
In fairness, though, Gobert had two solid games before a disastrous Game 5, and his defense remains productive. Additionally, when the alternative is playing Julius Randle more (who has struggled mightily), the Wolves are in a difficult spot. Reducing Gobert's minutes sounds like a no-brainer at first, but when you dive further into things, it's a tricky situation.
There's no seamless solution to Rudy Gobert's struggles
At the end of Game 5, Reggie Miller pitched the idea of starting Naz Reid over Gobert in Game 6. It feels like a bold decision, but one that could be worth considering given how poorly the Wolves' starters have played together and the need for extra spacing.
For what it's worth, though, neither lineup has seen success from a statistical standpoint. The Wolves' starting lineup has a minus-9.8 net rating this series, but with Reid in place of Gobert, they have a minus-30.6 net rating.
As such, tweaking the lineup sounds better in theory than in reality. Maybe they can figure things out with more minutes together. Again, the idea of getting Wemby away from the rim makes sense on paper.
The Randle dilemma is a big factor. Averaging 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 3.6 turnovers on 36.6/21.1/75 shooting splits, Randle's struggles aren't a secret. Playing him alongside Reid could help. Regardless, with how poorly Randle has played, the solution is to play him less, not more.
The counterargument could be going small with Reid at the five. Again, this sounds great, but under scrutiny, it doesn't hold up as much. Do you play Terrence Shannon Jr. more, who is shooting 29.2 percent from the field this series? Or how about Mike Conley, who is getting hunted every time on defense? Do you consider dusting off Bones Hyland or Kyle Anderson? That seems unlikely.
All in all, with how much both Gobert and Randle have struggled, the Timberwolves are facing a tough decision with no easy solution. Undoubtedly, Chris Finch will have to get creative to save the Wolves' season, and this must be paired with more production from at least one of the starting bigs.
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