The Minnesota Timberwolves obtained previous the Los Angeles Lakers on their method to one other Western Convention Finals.
The Timberwolves gained 49 video games and had been the No. 6 seed heading into the playoffs. They first upset the No. 3 seed Lakers within the first spherical, earlier than taking down the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors within the second spherical.
Nevertheless, the Timberwolves’ dream of reaching their first ever NBA Finals got here to an finish after they had been taken down by the defending NBA Champions Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in 5 video games.
The Timberwolves will look to recover from the hump this season with their most important stars Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert.
When the Timberwolves took care of enterprise in opposition to the Lakers within the first spherical of the playoffs, Rudy Gobert was key difference-maker.
He had a monstrous efficiency in sport 5, placing up 27 factors and 24 rebounds, which despatched the Lakers packing.
The Lakers merely had no response for the large man inside. Gobert talked about his elite show on The Younger Man and The Three podcast.
“I keep in mind once I awoke that day, I used to be already of the mindset that I used to be gonna do no matter it takes to have my crew win, after which it’s not like I did something loopy throughout the sport.
“I used to be simply flowing, regardless of the closeness of the sport, in my thoughts, I used to be simply satisfied that we had been going to win and I used to be simply focusing.
“Being current within the second and attempt to do no matter it takes to crew. And it was very particular, he added.
“I didn’t know a lot about my stats till the top, I knew clearly that was scoring clever and rebounding was in all probability my largest sport of this playoffs.
“However, yeah, simply actually targeted on getting the win and attempting to be current.”
Regardless of Gobert’s huge efficiency in opposition to Luka Doncic and the Lakers, total he had a down 12 months with the Timberwolves this previous season.
The previous All-Star is coming off a statistical down 12 months, the place he noticed a dip in his manufacturing together with scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking.
Gobert is ready to earn $35 million this season, adopted by an extra $74.5 million within the subsequent two years, which implies the Timberwolves want extra dependable manufacturing from him.
Whereas his protection is one thing that may’t get replaced, Gobert must develop extra of an offensive sport to actually make him beneficial on the ground.
