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Rudy Gobert said the Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to tap into their defensive ceiling at the right time after a 113-96 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 on Thursday night at Target Center.
“For sure,” Gobert said when asked whether the playoffs have unlocked the team’s defensive potential. “I think for us, we’ve shown this year that we could do it. We just couldn’t do it consistently.”
Minnesota held Denver to 11 points in the first quarter, a postseason franchise record for the Timberwolves, and Gobert said the opening minutes set the tone for everything that followed.
“Tonight I thought was the best defensive effort,” he said. “But we still have room to improve.”
Gobert was again the focal point against Nikola Jokic, who finished 7-for-26 from the field. He kept the attention on the task rather than the numbers.
“Just try to compete,” Gobert said. “Like I said, he’s the greatest offensive player I’ve guarded in my whole career. So just try to enjoy the challenge, make him work as much as I can.”
He also credited the perimeter pressure around him, naming Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu, Julius Randle, and others for helping turn difficult possessions into stops.
“My teammates, I feel like tonight did a great job,” Gobert said. “Jaden, Donte, Ayo, and everyone that came in, Julius, everyone that came in the game just gave us something defensively.”
That collective effort carried over into transition, where Minnesota used quick outlets and aggressive wings to build a 61-39 halftime lead.
“We were getting a lot of stops,” Gobert said. “Quick outlets, and a concerted effort.”
Gobert also praised McDaniels, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. “I thought he was locked in on both ends,” Gobert said. “I thought it was a very emotionally sound game for him, and that’s huge.”
The Timberwolves’ offensive balance mattered too, especially with Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle not having their cleanest shooting night. Gobert said their willingness to move the ball made the group harder to defend.
“What I loved about Ant and Julius’s game tonight is that they moved the ball,” he said. “That’s winning basketball.”
On his own offensive role, Gobert said the focus remains on gravity, screening, rebounding, and finishing plays when available.
“Just try to impact the game in any way I can,” he said. “Creating offense for my teammates, I think that’s the main thing.”
Minnesota now leads the series 2-1, and Gobert said the next step is staying sharp.
“Game 4, we know those guys have championship DNA,” he said. “So just come out ready to guard and offensively just keep sharing the ball.”
