After reaching the Western Conference Finals for just the second time in franchise history, many had high expectations for the Minnesota Timberwolves coming into this season. But Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle have yet to hit their stride, as evidenced by a three-game losing streak.

The team traded longtime forward Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks late in the offseason, removing a crucial piece to the Timberwolves' run to the conference finals in the spring. And while Minnesota still seems to have championship aspirations, Gobert, the oft-maligned reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, put some of the blame for the team's recent struggles on himself.

“If you want to be a championship team, we have to find that within ourself, find that edge that championship teams have. And that's not something you turn on and off, it's something that's gotta be there,” Gobert said after Wednesday's 106-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. “I truly believe that it starts with me. And those two games are mostly, I think, on me. Defensively, I need to set the tone for the team. And I haven't done that those last two games.”

Rudy Gobert trying to lead Timberwolves turnaround

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts ahead of guard Anthony Edwards (5) after a play in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets during game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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The Timberwolves were, in large part, led by Gobert and his stifling interior defense last season. The team had a hard time finding consistent offense at times, but Gobert, in his second season with the Wolves, provided a reliable backstop in the paint that proved invaluable in the postseason.

While collecting the fourth DPOY award of his career, Gobert anchored a defense that topped the league in defensive rating (108.4) and ranked among the top three in the fewest points in the paint allowed. As a team, the Wolves also finished with the third seed in the Western Conference, just one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

In the playoffs, the Timberwolves swept the Phoenix Suns before upsetting the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a back-and-forth seven-game series. In the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota finally fell, losing in five games.

Despite the rough start to the 2024-25 season — the Wolves are currently 6-6 and are tied for ninth in the Western Conference — there is still plenty of hope that Gobert will be able to get the team's defense back to the top of the league and Edwards will continue to ascend to be one of the NBA's best players. So far this season, Minnesota ranks ninth in defensive rating, while Edwards has improved his efficiency amid a shift to a more perimeter-based offensive approach.

The Timberwolves attempt to snap their three-game losing streak tomorrow when they visit Sacramento to play the Kings.