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Although Rudy Gobert is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, tied for most all-time, the Minnesota Timberwolves big man can't escape criticism for his lack of impact in the NBA Playoffs. The latest example of this came in last season's Western Conference Finals, as the Dallas Mavericks handily defeated the Timberwolves in five games despite Minnesota having home-court advantage. The Mavericks made it a point to pick apart Gobert's defense, including big man Dereck Lively II, who threw down a massive dunk on Gobert in Game 3.
DERECK LIVELY OVER GOBERT 😳 pic.twitter.com/U24rYdRI93
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 27, 2024
After the first poster, Lively is returning for seconds this offseason. In an appearance at Nike EYBL, Lively was interviewed by former Mavericks guard Theo Pinson, who discussed the topic of players like Gobert only getting playing time due to their big contracts.
“Perfect example, [the Mavericks] played the Minnesota Timberwolves. There is zero reason Rudy Gobert should've been on that court,” Pinson said.
“Zero,” Lively echoed.
“But you are paying him about 40-50 million dollars… you better get your a** out there and figure it the f*** out,” Pinson said.
“And he didn't,” Lively said.
The trash talk could be warranted because Lively helped knock Gobert and the Timberwolves out of the playoffs. For now, Gobert hasn't said anything. So, the Minnesota big man might just let his play do the talking this season. The first time the Timberwolves and Mavericks play each other is on Tuesday, October 29, at home. Maybe Gobert will have something waiting for Lively when the game gets rolling.
How will the Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert do this year?
Although Minnesota's ascension is sudden, the Timberwolves are here to stay thanks to a sensational defense and bonafide superstar in Anthony Edwards. Entering the 2024-25 NBA season, an improvement would be an NBA Finals appearance. Although that's quite a lofty goal, the Timberwolves were three wins away from such a feat a season ago.
Sure, the Western Conference is rigorous, but this year won't be so different from last for Minnesota either. The Timberwolves are a difficult matchup for anybody with their staunch defense and explosive scoring ability. Now that Minnesota is a bit more seasoned after a deep playoff run, they also know what it takes to win on the biggest stage.
That blend of experience and two-way dominance will fuel Minnesota this season. The Timberwolves should be one of the best teams in the NBA. If they run into the Mavericks again, maybe Gobert can silence Lively once and for all.
