Gobert driving Wolves’ tough overall defense

TIMBERWOLVES SPOTLIGHT

Minnesota limiting Lakers to fewer than 95 points per game in series

The Lakers’ Luka Doncic (77) passes the ball off while being guarded by Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels (3) and Rudy Gobert (27) during Tuesday night’s Game 2 in Los Angeles. SEAN M. HAFFEY — GETTY IMAGES

Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) and Rudy Gobert (27) fight for a rebound with Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) during Game 2 Tuesday night in Los Angeles. ERIC THAYER — ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Jace Frederick

jfrederick@pioneerpress.com

One thing has been consistently excellent for Minnesota through the first two games of its Western Conference quarterfinal series with the Los Angeles Lakers — the defensive end.

The Timberwolves are surrendering just 94.5 points per game. Defense is the primary reason Minnesota won Game 1 and was the sole reason the Wolves had a prayer at the end of Game 2.

Driving the bus on the defensive success? Rudy Gobert.

That should seem obvious on its surface. Gobert is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Wolves in defensive rating yet again this season, with Minnesota allowing just 107.6 points per 100 possessions with the center on the floor.

And yet the center keeps being framed as a liability in certain matchups in this series. Luka Doncic hit a ridiculously tough baseline jumper over Gobert in an isolation situation in the second quarter Tuesday in Los Angeles.

After the shot tickled the twine, Doncic turned to the Wolves’ bench and signaled for Minnesota to sub out the center.

That’s not likely to happen. Because while “SportsCenter” seemingly aired that Doncic play on a loop, and while the Lakers’ home crowd came alive whenever Los Angeles got Gobert switched onto a perimeter player in isolation during the first two games of the series, the numbers suggest Gobert continues to hold his own.

The NBA’s matchup data shows Lakers players are 8 for 29 from the field (28%) against Gobert thus far this series. Minnesota is giving up just 99 points per 100 possessions with Gobert on the floor, the team’s best defensive rating through two games.

“So his impact on the floor remains pretty strong,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.

“He’s doing a great job of just working and trying to force guys into tough reads, tough shots,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said. “Yeah, they’re going to score every now and then. But he has done a really good job with just being active and trying to know everybody’s tendencies when he is out there guarding those guys.

“We want to use him out there. For the most part, we’re going to continue to try to game plan around it. And if he gets up in iso, we trust him and anybody else that’s out there.”

Gobert noted before the series started that he will get beat at times in isolation, and those plays will be clipped and widely shared on social media. But over a large sample size, he believes he’ll win out.

And while Gobert noted a few things he’d like to do better against Doncic, specifically, even the Slovenian star is just 1 for 8 when shooting against Gobert.

“I think some of the times they score, some of the times I do a pretty good job,” Gobert said. “There’s always things that I’ve got to do better, we’ve got to do better. But overall, as a defender, that’s what I enjoy. I enjoy guarding the best players in the world and I always embrace that challenge.”