Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is having a bounce-back season in Minnesota. Amid an impressive 21-6 start for the Wolves, Gobert has resurfaced as one of the league’s top defensive players and he’s building a strong case to take home his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. In a recent chat with the media, Gobert spoke on what winning the award again would mean for his legacy after so many people counted him out.
“When I wake up everyday, I wake up to be the best defensive player on the planet,” said Rudy. “That’s who I am, that’s who I’m gonna be. Obviously, it’s a team effort and I try to bring that energy to my team but it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about being resilient, it’s about being persistent… a full NBA season has a lot of ups and downs but that reward of your dedication and work. Not just mine, but the work of the team.”
I asked Timberwolves Rudy Gobert what it would mean to win a 4th Defensive Player of the Year Award
Gobert: “…I wake up to be the best defensive player in the planet…” pic.twitter.com/cW4wGyYzIB
— Sheldon Wohlman (@3swohlman) December 22, 2023
The Timberwolves have been the best team in the league through the first third of the schedule, but there are still a lot of games left to play. For the Timberwolves, a team with virtually no playoff success, they still have to prove themselves before anybody considers them among the top-flight contenders. But thanks to the play of Gobert, and his co-star Anthony Edwards, Minnesota is having a breakthrough in the West and they are on track to make franchise history with their most successful season yet.
Rudy Gobert Is Proving His Worth
The Rudy Gobert trade was the subject of many conversations last season when the Timberwolves struggled to win games. For some reason, Rudy never found his footing during his inaugural season and his fit with Karl-Anthony Towns in the backcourt was questionable, at best. This season, Gobert is averaging a modest 12.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game and his defense is back to where it was during his Utah days.
This season, with a defensive net rating of 107.9, the Wolves rank first in defense and allow just 106.9 points per game. Gobert has made a difference on that end of the floor and it has pushed the team into becoming one of the hardest in the league to beat. It remains to be seen if this level of play is sustainable for Gobert, 31, but if he can channel this production for the playoffs, it could make things very interesting in April, May, and June.
Timberwolves Are Team To Beat In 2023
Between Rudy’s lockdown defense, the ascension of Anthony Edwards into a star, and the hot shooting of big man Karl-Anthony Towns, there is no question that the Timberwolves have the talent to compete with any team in the league. The question is, do they have the experience to go all the way?
While their core young guys have yet to prove themselves, this season could be the start of a game-changing run for the Timberwolves. If they can step up and make a run to the Finals, it will forever change how the world views this organization. At the very least, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards will ensure the Wolves are a tough out against anybody.
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