Rudy Gobert believes Sunday’s recreation at Oklahoma City might present the jolt that the Timberwolves must shake off their inconsistent play, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Gobert spoke after Friday’s closer-than-expected win over a depleted Warriors crew, which adopted lopsided losses towards the Magic, Lakers and Clippers.
Not solely do the Thunder maintain the league’s greatest file, they ousted Minnesota in 5 video games in final 12 months’s Western Conference Finals.
“It’s a great, great challenge for us, a great opportunity,” Gobert stated. “I think OKC is actually a great example of what we want to be in terms of their mindset. I’m not talking about talent. I’m just talking about their mindset of just giving yourself away to the team, and just letting the game take care of itself. They’re a team that plays hard every night, regardless of who is on the floor, and for 48 minutes. And I think this is exactly the test that we need, so I’m excited about that.”
At 41-26, the Wolves are in a precarious spot within the Western Conference playoff race, tied with Denver for fifth place and simply two video games away from falling into the play-in event. Amick notes that Minnesota has been constructed round an elite protection, however that has slipped not too long ago because the crew ranked twenty ninth within the league in defensive ranking over the previous 4 video games.
“Miscommunication,” Anthony Edwards stated of the crew’s defensive stoop. “Yeah, it’s just miscommunication, teams jumping on us early. Us turning the ball over definitely doesn’t help, (especially) when our defense is not at a high level. I think that’s the main thing, is us turning the ball over, especially myself.”
There’s extra on the Wolves:
- Edwards scored 42 factors on Friday to assist finish the shedding streak, however he skilled an damage scare within the recreation’s remaining minute in a collision with Golden State’s LJ Cryer, Amick provides. Edwards grabbed at his aching proper knee, however advised reporters afterward, “I’m good.” Coach Chris Finch identified that Edwards was solely within the recreation at that time due to the lack to place the Warriors away. “I just told the team (that) it’s a bit of a microcosm of our season,” Finch stated. “We can play well. We do the right things, get rewarded for it. Then (we) just completely lose focus, downshift a gear or two. They got back into it, and we stopped making the extra effort defensively for sure, had to regroup. And that’s been, unfortunately, part of our DNA.”
- Gobert addressed a number of matters in an interview with Mark Medina of RG, together with his competitors with fellow French large man Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year honors. “May the best win,” Gobert stated. “Regardless of anything, I’m really proud of him. I’m really proud of him. I’ve been there for him as a mentor. I try to help him in any way I can. A lot of this goes beyond basketball. Basketball is the easiest part.”
- The Wolves’ struggles with offering a constant effort from recreation to recreation have turn into a part of their character and can ultimately value them within the playoffs, predicts Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required).
