Minnesota's defense has been elite (#1 ranked; -11.9 rDRTG)

[Xiao Yao You]

Not in the playoffs he doesn't. Not close either.

hasn't had a team around him like this and pretty sure they won't be playing in a bubble this time around

[Xiao Yao You]

If you don't have a rim protector or there you are going to suffer defensively. You can't be giving up easy offensive rebounds and letting Edwards and the rest get layups. Is your noncenter going to score enough points from distance to make this worthwhile? I don't see it. There's a reason why teams still play at least one big, you still need size.

They are out rebounding their opponents by 5 a game. They'll be happy if you play small and give them extra possessions I'm sure

[Real Men Wear Green]

Denver Nuggets.

To be more specific, "highly" mobile. Jokic dominates everyone and I wouldn't expect the Wolves to beat them in a series. But if you are going to defend Jokic Gobert is a better option than most teams will have. Jokic is a good shooter but you're better off letting him take jumpers than hitting open teammates like Gordon for layups when you win your defense by using Gobert chase him out to the three point line.

[Xiao Yao You]

To be more specific, "highly" mobile. Jokic dominates everyone and I wouldn't expect the Wolves to beat them in a series. But if you are going to defend Jokic Gobert is a better option than most teams will have. Jokic is a good shooter but you're better off letting him take jumpers than hitting open teammates like Gordon for layups when you win your defense by using Gobert chase him out to the three point line.

and you have lots of size and length besides Gobert. Not like O'Neale will be switched on to him. Edwards or McDaniels on Murray instead of traffic cones like Mitchell and The Bum

[Xiao Yao You]

Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert sits down with @Stadium: “People being mad at me a year later. Seeing how much the Jazz got in exchange of me, it makes you feel you’re doing something right.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns partnership, challenge to Anthony Edwards, darkness retreat, much more: pic.twitter.com/9JJmXEXGmg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2023

– via Twitter ShamsCharania

[Real Men Wear Green]

The trade was terrible. 5 first round picks/pick swaps should get you a superstar. I just don't think it should be held against Gobert. Fire the GM and move on.

[Xiao Yao You]

The trade was terrible. 5 first round picks/pick swaps should get you a superstar. I just don't think it should be held against Gobert. Fire the GM and move on.

They got one of the most impactful players in the league. Carried bad teams for years. it's a great trade if they get further than any Wolves team ever which is possible. They've had one really good team right?

[Real Men Wear Green]

They got one of the most impactful players in the league. Carried bad teams for years.

You are aware that like a lot of posters I have read you write this before and just don't agree, no?

[tpols]

hasn't had a team around him like this and pretty sure they won't be playing in a bubble this time around

He literally has the same exact core around him as last year. Edwards, KAT, Conley and role players.

The fact that you even think Rudy Gobert has a Trump card on Jokic because of regular season win loss record is cute. They're not even in the same galaxy in terms of impact.

[Xiao Yao You]

You are aware that like a lot of posters I have read you write this before and just don't agree, no?

Yep doesn't make it any less true. Is a so called superstar like Lillard or Mitchell more valuable playing one end of the court than someone that impacts both ends? Jazz were a bad team without Gobert despite the supposed greatness of Mitchell and COTM. They're a bad team now without him. Haven't held a team under 100 pts since he left. He joined a team that was decent without him. Minnesota is now a great defensive team. You pay for that or you continue being mediocre like they have been all but 1 year of their pathetic history

[Xiao Yao You]

He literally has the same exact core around him as last year. Edwards, KAT, Conley and role players.

The fact that you even think Rudy Gobert has a Trump card on Jokic because of regular season win loss record is cute. They're not even in the same galaxy in terms of impact.

You may forget that they were a mess thanks to cancerous D'Angelo and Towns missed most of the year and Conley was only there after the trade deadline and apparently Gobert wasn't at 100%. Didn't say he was as impactful as Jokic. Who is? He's probably had more success against him than anyone though. Their net rating against each other was pretty much even a couple years ago. Not sure where that stands now. He probably leads since he's been beating up on the Nuggets since

[tpols]

How has rudy been "beating up on the Nuggets" when they demolished him in the playoffs just last year?

And before that the nuggets beating them again despite Donovan Mitchell throwing up an MJ stat line?

This is wild man. You don't live in our current shared reality.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Yep doesn't make it any less true. Is a so called superstar like Lillard or Mitchell more valuable playing one end of the court than someone that impacts both ends? Jazz were a bad team without Gobert despite the supposed greatness of Mitchell and COTM. They're a bad team now without him. Haven't held a team under 100 pts since he left. He joined a team that was decent without him. Minnesota is now a great defensive team. You pay for that or you continue being mediocre like they have been all but 1 year of their pathetic history

It's strange how you ignore the fact that Gobert hasn't lead any team anywhere and delude yourself into thinking he's a significant offensive player.

[Xiao Yao You]

How has rudy been "beating up on the Nuggets" when they demolished him in the playoffs just last year?

And before that the nuggets beating them again despite Donovan Mitchell throwing up an MJ stat line?

This is wild man. You don't live in our current shared reality.

Murray threw up a similar stat line. Hard to win playing one end of the court. And I take the bubble as seriously as the rest of you. It was pretty much a joke

https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...kola_jokic.htm

[Xiao Yao You]

It's strange how you ignore the fact that Gobert hasn't lead any team anywhere and delude yourself into thinking he's a significant offensive player.

Leading bad bad teams to the 2nd round of the playoffs is significant. Beats the lottery where they would have been without him. Eilte rim runner/screener/offensive rebounder on the best offensive team in the league. You have to pay for that. Wolves did and they might have their best team ever while the Jazz have picks that may turn out to be nothing