Rudy Gobert does much of the grunt work for Minnesota, defending the paint, setting screens and grabbing boards.
Friday night provided a rare time to heavily feature the center’s offense.
Brooklyn was down nearly all of its regular rotational players as it made a point to eat another loss and secure its draft positioning. The lineup the Nets trotted out for Friday’s contest at Target Center was particularly small. Which meant the Wolves’ 7-footer could do effectively whatever he wanted without much resistance.
And he did just that.
Gobert tied a career high with 35 points to go with 11 rebounds as Minnesota trounced Brooklyn, 117-91.
“It felt great,” Gobert said in his postgame, on-court interview. “Obviously, we all knew what the opponent was giving us, so just tried to do a good job setting the tone. My teammates did a great job looking for me, finding me, and I just had to finish at the rim.”
The Wolves host the tanking Utah Jazz on Sunday, needing just a win to secure at top-six seed in the Western Conference playoffs and avoid the play-in tournament.
Minnesota may be without Anthony Edwards in that game. The guard picked up his 18th technical foul of the season in the second quarter on Friday, and if that’s not rescinded by the NBA, Edwards will be suspended for the bout with Utah.
“I did not really get a good or clear explanation,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said of the tech. “It didn’t seem like there was any egregious or overly demonstrative (action) or anything like that.”
In a pool report, NBA official Bill Kennedy said Edwards received the tech “for use of profanity directed toward an official.”
Either way, the Wolves would still have Gobert. That’s about all they’ve needed of late as they’ve continued to handle business against the NBA’s cellar dwellers. Gobert is simply too big, strong and relentless for undermanned rosters to contain. His efforts on the glass and defending of the paint prevent hefty underdogs from generating any momentum, or hope.
Such was the case Friday. It was all Minnesota after Brooklyn got off to a quick start over the game’s first couple of minutes. The Wolves led by as many as 28 points in the game.
By the final frame, Minnesota was making a concerted effort to reward its big man with as many touches as possible, whether they came from lobs or simple interior feeds. Gobert continued to capitalize. He went 13 for 17 from the field.
“He did a really good job of catching and finishing and being strong in there and making the right play when the time presented itself, too,” Finch said.
Julius Randle, another beneficiary of Brooklyn’s lack of size, added 21 points on 8 for 11 shooting.
Gobert tied his career high in the closing minutes. And there were a few more possessions in which he could’ve set a new career mark.
The crowd chanted “Rudy” one possession after another, but Timberwolves coach Chris Finch cleared the Wolves’ bench with fewer than four minutes to play and the win well in hand.
Minnesota took care of business Friday. If it does so one more time Sunday, it will lock up its fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
“I think just stay locked in, keep doing everything we do to prepare mentally and physically,” Gobert said. “Just be ourselves and we’ll be fine.”
