It’s hours before tip-off at the Target Center, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are prepared for a long and competitive series against the Golden State Warriors. Leading up to Game 1, star big man Rudy Gobert reflected on the matchup and revealed what he has come to expect after witnessing their season for himself.
“These guys are winners, competitors, and there’s a lot of talk about them potentially being tired – they’ve been playing every other day,” said Gobert, via Chris Hine. “They’re professionals, they’re in a great rhythm, they’re not going to be tired.”
The Warriors’ Game 7 win on Sunday locked in one of the most exciting series of the playoffs so far: the Warriors and Timberwolves in the Western Semifinals. As two teams with very different identities, it’s going to be a bitter fight, and Rudy Gobert will be caught in the middle.
The French big man, who turns 27 in April, averaged 12.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on 66.9% shooting this season. As a 4x Defensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Star, and 4x All-NBA player, Gobert is already more accomplished than most in his field, and he’s got a lucrative four-year, $152 million contract to show for it.
After helping lead his team to the Western Conference Finals last year, Gobert and his co-stars (Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle) are determined to build on their success and get the franchise further than they’ve ever gone. As the sixth seed in the West (49-33), Minnesota came in as underdogs to win the first round against the Lakers, but now they are widely considered a major threat to win the title.
The problem for Minnesota is that they are now set to face off against a Warriors team that’s been scorching hot for months. They are 23-8 since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the deadline, good enough to move from 10th in the West to seventh.
With averages of 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game on 47.6% shooting, Butler has been leading the charge in an impressive run for Golden State, and his skills on defense and at the foul line have sparked a revival that has put them back in the championship picture.
In the backcourt, Stephen Curry’s greatness continues to provide a wealth of opportunities for the Warriors, especially on offense, where they rank third in three-pointers made. In the first round against the Rockets, Steph averaged 24.0 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.
As Curry and Bitler do their thing, Draymond Green will be making an impact like he always does: on the defensive end. The Warriors are fourth in points allowed per game and are near the bottom in fouls with an average of 17.7 through seven games so far.
The key to victory for Gobert and his young Timberwolves squad will be finding ways to contain Jimmy Butler and put the pressure on Stephen Curry to carry the load for his team. Most importantly, the Timberwolves will have to give their hardest effort to present a united front and ensure that every player knows what they are up against in the fights to come.
