Ricky Rubio Blunt on Timberwolves Selfish Play

After a couple of nice wins to start the season, things have completely fallen apart for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns has a dislocated wrist and his return timetable doesn’t look very promising.

Josh Okogie started the first three games of the season, but had to sit out game 4 with an injury as well. The now 2-2 Wolves need both guys back, especially Towns. Still, their absences can’t cover for a complete lack of energy in two straight blowout losses.

Ricky Rubio agrees.

Here's Ricky Rubio's getting critical of the #Timberwolves awful play the last two games. (????️: @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/PUdIRlc6RH

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 30, 2020

– “When things not going our way everybody started playing selfish. We gotta learn. You can put in a lot of excuses,’we are young, blah, blah, blah. This and that.’ But once you step on the court, you’re playing for an NBA team and the last two games, it’s been ridiculously bad. There’s no other words to put it.”

Rubio: We're 2-2, which is a good record. But it doesn't show where we're at right now. We are way worse than 2-2.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 30, 2020

Ricky Rubio was very blunt tonight. Didn't pull punches about the defense…

"We didn't play good defense. We didn't play defense at all."

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) December 30, 2020

A leader the Wolves desperately needed

If there is one positive to take from these last couple games, it’s that Rubio is going to get on guys for poor performance. The Wolves haven’t really had a key veteran leader like that since… Jimmy Butler? Luckily, Ricky is nothing like Jimmy.

Hopefully Rubio will be find ways to connect with these younger players in a way Butler never could. We will certainly find out, especially without Karl around for the foreseeable future.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ next game is on New Year’s Day (Friday) against Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards. Both teams are struggling right now, so it would be a good time for the Wolves to get back on track.

Then again… so were the Clippers.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan