Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Rudy Gobert catches flak for Minnesota's defensive woes

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 5/13/24

Following their Game 2 win in Denver, the Timberwolves were hailed the best defensive unit since the Bad Boy Pistons and the Michael Jordan-led Bulls. Kevin Garnett referred to them as the "defensive version of the Warriors" the league isn't ready for. The internet even made memes likening Minnesota's defensive ferocity to a maximum security prison Denver couldn't find its way out of.

Over the last two games, the Nuggets flipped the script.

After shooting 54 percent from the field and 49 percent from three in the Game 3 win, the Nuggets again decimated the Timberwolves' so-called great defense in Sunday's Game 4. The Nikola Jokic-led team made 57 percent of its shots, including 45 percent from deep, en route to a 115-107 victory.

Just as the Timberwolves were being reminded of the might of their opponent, Kendrick Perkins pointed the blame at a certain four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

I just don’t understand how Gobert go from DPOY to a defensive liability. I mean damn!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 13, 2024

Perkins was among the many who predicted a Timberwolves sweep after the first two games. What Perkins forgot was that Jokic had three days to study tape to dissect Minnesota's defensive scheme.

Here are some examples of Jokic toying with Gobert in Game 4.

Nikola Jokic fakes both Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns with an unbelievable pass pic.twitter.com/BC0Z6VadAs
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) May 13, 2024

The counters for Denver vs. Rudy Gobert helping at the dunker spot.
-Clear the wing
-Jamal Murray making quick decisions
-Jokic rolling short of where Gobert can impact/commit pic.twitter.com/uEgh87lH1g
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) May 13, 2024

In 2021, Gobert was similarly criticized for his defense as his No. 1 seed Jazz blew a 2-0 lead to the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs. That year, too, Gobert was the Defensive Player of the Year.

The Frenchman has reinforced that regular season awards don't mean anything in the playoffs, especially while going up against a cerebral player like Jokic.

More must-reads: