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The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped to 2-2 on the young season on Tuesday night with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks despite a red hot start for star shooting guard Anthony Edwards, who cooled off considerably down the stretch. The Timberwolves obviously have plenty of time to figure things out but haven't been able to integrate newly acquired pieces Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo very seamlessly thus far.
The Timberwolves' defense is anchored by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Recently, retired NBA guard Gordon Hayward, who played alongside Gobert for several seasons with the Utah Jazz, broke down the one key weakness that Gobert has on that side of the floor during a visit to the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone.
“He always had problems guarding around the perimeter and that was something anytime we played like a quick guard that can also shoot it was going to be tough for us,” said Hayward. “We had really tough times against Boston when they had IT (Isiah Thomas). We had really tough times against Kemba, we had really tough times against Dame. Guards that if he came out too far they go right around him, and if he’s back at all they’re just shooting.”
Hayward made sure to reiterate that Gobert was still excellent overall on that end of the floor.
“So I think that would probably be his only critique as a defensive player is being able to guard the perimeter,” said Hayward. “Now I don’t think he’s bad at it, I think its just those are world class elite level players, that’s just what they did was coming off pick and rolls, shooting.”
Timberwolves fans saw firsthand Gobert's apparent inability to keep up with quicker players on the perimeter during the team's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in last year's Western Conference Finals, as Luka Doncic hit a game winning three over Gobert during Game 2 of that sereis.
Perimeter defense has been one area where fans of Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo believe that those players have Gobert beat on that end of the floor. However, Gobert's generationally great rim protection and ability to play help defense may still make him the game's best defender, even if he isn't the quickest out on the perimeter.
In any case, the Timberwolves will look to get back in the win column on Friday evening at home against the Denver Nuggets in a rematch of last year's semifinals series.
