Rudy Gobert's Honesty About Playing Against OKC's Defense
The Oklahoma City Thunder deserve their place as the NBA's current best team. They have a potent offense and a historically superb defense. After winning Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals 114-88, the spotlight was on their defense.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are often tough to defend because they have a strong cast of players. However, that was not the case in Game 1 because they played against a suffocating Thunder defense that held them to 88 points.
Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
While the Thunder get the plaudits for being a defensive titan, the Timberwolves are also superb on defense. A big part of that is Rudy Gobert, who is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
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He knows what it takes to be a top defensive team, so he acknowledges the Thunder's strengths. However, he also recognizes that the Timberwolves can do better in Game 2 after a disappointing Game 1.
Related: Jaden McDaniels Sends Clear Message on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Foul Calls
Gobert On What Makes The Thunder A Tough Matchup
The regular season showed the Timberwolves are ready to play against the Thunder. They split the season series 2-2, so they came into this series with a good amount of confidence.
Of course, the Thunder became more battle-tested in the 2025 postseason, beating the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets in seven games. With that experience, they are a tougher team, which caught the Timberwolves off guard.
After the blowout loss to the Thunder, the Timberwolves are prepared for Game 2 and the series. Gobert identified defense as their biggest strength as he analyzed their opponents' defense.
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"They're relentless. We knew that. They're grabbing, fouling. We know that we're not going to get all those calls," Gobert said about the Thunder. "Just gotta play through that consistently. Not let a missed call or missing shots or these things disrupt us."
The Timberwolves Will Be Prepared For The Thunder
Getting blown out should motivate any team for their next game. Coach Chris Finch, superstar Anthony Edwards, and the rest of the team should be ready. That was a tough result, so they want to come back and tie the series.
Gobert knows he must improve his performance, especially with his defense. He is a top-tier defender for this generation, so he wants to showcase that against the Thunder.
The rest of the Timberwolves are ready to showcase what they could not in Game 1. Anthony Edwards had a rough night, scoring only 18 points, so he wants to bounce back.
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The bench players also need to bounce back, especially when Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker shot a combined 7-of-36 from the field. With this motivation, Gobert and the rest of the Timberwolves are ready.
Related: Anthony Edwards Sends Clear Message To The OKC Thunder's Elite Defense
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