Before you judge NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who just gave up 40 points to Nikola Jokic in a crucial Game 5, ask yourself a question.
how you Can a 7-footer with Gobert's agility and wingspan protect the Denver Nuggets superstar? If the answer is, it's either wrong or he'll be sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves as soon as possible. I need to call.
After a 112-97 loss that gave the Nuggets a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals, this is certainly the case in a series where Minnesota once led 2-0 and seemed unstoppable. I could use some help. A must-win Game 6 awaits Thursday in Minneapolis.
Getting back to Jokic's question, look at some highlights and see what Gobert should have done differently on a night where the MVP dropped 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting, along with 13 assists and 7 rebounds. Let's see if we can understand why. Take a deep breath here. The turnover rate is zero.
Here, Gobert matches Jokic step by step, eventually forcing an awkward hook shot that he converts.
Here, he encountered the trailing Kyle Anderson in the paint, leaving only a split second for a shot. Of course, Jokic finds the opening and takes the shot.
Here he has to chase Jokic to the perimeter and stay with Jokic because there is no effective helping defense waiting for them in the paint. Gobert basically gives up and looks for a foul that throws him off balance. Jokic makes contact…and -1.
It all happened in about six minutes in the third quarter, when he had 16 points and four assists.
And in the fourth quarter, Gobert had his hand on Jokic's face throughout the shot.
Gobert is one of the best defensive players in NBA history, a guy who can make defenses great just with his presence in the paint. When given the Timberwolves' supporting cast, he anchored the best defense in the NBA during the regular season.
The goal of any game plan will include positioning him in the paint and in front of the player with the ball.
The problem for the Timberwolves, and every team remaining in the playoffs and hoping to compete for titles over the next few years, is that even if Gobert gives you the instructions, a fully functional Jokic It appears to be a problem without a solution. The one closest to the answer key. What do you do when a 7-footer has the best court vision and basketball IQ in NBA history, plus a massive 284-pound frame, shooting touch, and the fastest hands in the West?
Minnesota seemed close to solving him early in the series, but then completely lost momentum. They entered Game 5 without veteran Mike Conley, and Karl-Anthony Towns suffered an apparent leg injury in the second quarter.
The Timberwolves entered halftime with just a six-point lead, considering Anthony Edwards made 1-of-8 from the field and Towns and Naz Reid turned it over 11 times while dealing with foul trouble. , honestly felt like a victory. When they scored the first seven points of the third quarter to briefly take the lead, it looked like a turning point.
Once Jokic got to work, Denver immediately responded with a 9-2 run. A massacre ensued.
