Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert believes the path to sustained success lies in chemistry and teamwork, pointing to the Indiana Pacers’ 2025 playoff run as an example.
On a recent episode of The Young Man & The Three, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year said the Pacers’ cohesion separated them from other teams in the Eastern Conference and helped them reach the NBA Finals.
“When you look at the Finals, and I was talking about this a lot with my friends, I think the two teams that seemed the most together went to the Finals,” Gobert said. “I think Indiana wasn’t necessarily the most talented team in the East, but they went to the Finals because I felt like they were the most together team. And in those moments of adversity, I don’t know how many times they came back from being down six, seven points in the last minute, but it doesn’t happen if you’re not together, if you don’t believe in your teammates, if you’re not poised through adversity and I think OKC is the same way differently, but the same way.”
Rudy Gobert cites Pacers’ resilience and togetherness as the standard for playoff success
Gobert emphasized that chemistry and trust are critical when the postseason spotlight intensifies.
“I think it shows that chemistry is really, really important and teamwork is really, really important,” Gobert said.
The Timberwolves saw that first-hand last season when Indiana overcame a depleted roster to rally past Minnesota in the regular season. Gobert used that moment as a reminder of how a collective spirit can overcome obstacles.
“Exactly. It’s about the spirit of the team – it comes from your leader obviously, but just the togetherness and being able to overcome adversity together,” Gobert said. “I think it’s super, super important when you get deep into the playoffs when you have the whole world watching you and talking about you and ready to tear you down or spread you apart any opportunity they get. I think being able to connect with your teammates and share the same goal is huge and OKC had that and Indiana had that.”
Timberwolves look to Pacers’ Finals-tested formula as model of growth
Minnesota finished 49-33 in 2024-25, claiming the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round and defeated the Golden State Warriors in the conference semifinals before falling to eventual champion Oklahoma City in five games in the Western Conference Finals. It marked their second straight trip to the conference finals.
The Pacers, meanwhile, went 50-32 as the No. 4 seed in the East. Indiana opened the postseason with a first-round victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, then knocked out the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. The Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals by defeating the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their run ended in Game 7 of the Finals against the Thunder, when star guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the opening minutes.
For Gobert, the Pacers’ ability to rally in late-game situations and maintain unity despite setbacks offered Minnesota a clear model for its own growth. As the Timberwolves look to build on back-to-back deep playoff runs, Gobert believes following Indiana’s blueprint could be the key to breaking through.
