But game five wasn’t about Ant, who mostly took a playmaker role, facilitating 12 assists while his teammates daggered the Warriors’ season over and over again. As a team, the Wolves shot 62.8% from the field and 41.9% from deep in game 5 against Golden State.

Meanwhile, Julius Randle led the Minnesota Timberwolves with 29 points. Mike Conley had his best game of the postseason, scoring 16 points, dealing 8 assists and grabbing 6 rebounds. Then, there’s Rudy Gobert, who seems to have a thing lately for closeout games in the playoffs.

Rudy Gobert shows up big for MN Timberwolves in yet another closeout game

Wednesday night, the 7-foot Frenchman was a +21 (highest +/- of game 5), shooting 8-of-9 from the field for 17 points. It was his second-best performance in the playoffs, behind only game 5 of their last playoff series, when he went off for a team high 27 points and 24 rebounds to close out the Lakers in Tinseltown.

During Wolves vs Warriors second round series — one in which the two went head-to-head throughout much of the five games played — Rudy Gobert mostly dominated Draymond Green. Both guys averaged ~10 points per game, but scoring isn’t Rudy’s game. Still, the offense he did provide was efficient and dependable.

Gobert shot 64% from the field and led both teams in scoring efficiency (1.714), getting many of his looks off the 2.6 offensive rebounds he averaged in the series. He also averaged 2 blocks per game.

Anthony Edwards draws the double team in the PnR with Rudy Gobert

Donte DiVincenzo reads + manipulates the low-man

Rudy Gobert pump-fake + dunk pic.twitter.com/AmNO3SXOv1

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 15, 2025

Rudy Gobert lob dunk, assisted by Anthony Edwards pic.twitter.com/P1M4TBo3oa

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 15, 2025

Compare Rudy’s round two production to Draymond’s 10.6 points, 0.2 blocks and 5.4 rebounds per game, along with his lousy 1.019 scoring efficiency rating… and it becomes even more obvious which “post player” was better in round two.

Draymond Green — the ultimate Rudy Gobert bully

When Rudy Gobert first landed in Minnesota, he was known mostly as a great defender, who had struggled to find his fit during the playoffs. While in Utah, Rudy struggled to stay on the floor at the end of games and proved to be a shell of the player he had been in the regular season.

It wasn’t just his inability to make foul shots, which created a hack-a-Rudy strategy from opponents that made him damn near unplayable at the end of games, but early and often teams were spreading out the Jazz and forcing Gobert into defensive responsibilities that no big would be comfortable with, no matter his acumen on that side of the floor.

But that’s not the way much of the NBA saw things. They saw Gobert as an over-inflated defender who could be taken advantage of in the postseason. Then, there’s Draymond Green, who didn’t just have his doubts about Rudy, as a basketball player… he straight up did not respect him, or his four Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Draymond Green implies that ‘a lot’ of people thinks Rudy Gobert is a ‘b**ch’

“I personally think Rudy Gobert is on the softer side”

(Via @TheVolumeSports )
pic.twitter.com/QuDY69gFe7

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 11, 2023

"The big Frenchman is sitting on that podium speaking his native language. We, we, we need to do this. You, you, you need to get a stop… It's you, my man, that is getting cooked [by Nikola Jokic]."

Draymond Green sounded OFF on Rudy Gobert 👀
pic.twitter.com/S96Zd862NA

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2024

Draymond was more than happy to discuss his thoughts on Rudy Gobert through whatever public forum he could find, including this time last year, when he took his spot on the TNT Inside NBA crew during the later rounds of the Western Conference Playoffs, where he called out Gobert, disrespected him and drug his basketball name night after night.

Draymond turned into a wing playmaker vs Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves defense

Then, in round two of this playoff series, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and the Minnesota Timberwolves defense reduced Draymond Green to a point-forward who was forced to facilitate and make shots from deep… and he tried to take what the Wolves were giving him. It just didn’t work. And banging down low against Rudy, who he claimed to see as a defensive joke, was now out of the question.

That’s right, the 13-year veteran — who averages 2.6 three point attempts per game in his career — averaged over double that against the Timberwolves during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, hoisting a rather insane 5.8 three pointers per night. Draymond finished 27.6% from deep, in the series.

Related: Video Surfaces Proving NBA Refs Will Allow Just About Any Crime Against Rudy Gobert

So… how does the bully feel after being bullied by his own victim for most of five games? Well, during his final postgame press conference of the 2024-25 season, Draymond Green appeared humbled. He tried to avoid excuses, even though the Steph Curry injury gave him an easy one, had he decided to take it.

Draymond Green opens up (not really) on Rudy Gobert

Green did (somewhat begrudgingly) bring up Rudy Gobert twice… very briefly. Early on, he said that “Rudy played really well”. Then about eight and a half minutes in, Green mentioned Gobert and his “four-time defensive player of the year” status, as one of the weapons Minnesota has in its championship caliber arsenal. And, well… that was it.

Draymond Green talks about Rudy Gobert during his postgame press conference, following the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors during game 5 (🧵…)

1/ (01:30) – "Give them a lot of credit. They were incredible. [Julius] played great the entire series, Ant Man's patience was… pic.twitter.com/qPY3taQfrp

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 15, 2025

2/ (08:05) – "I think they've got a real shot at it. When you have two dynamic [players], and then they got all the pieces, right?

They got Naz coming off the bench, Jaden McDaniels is a hell of a player. Rudy, four time defensive player of the year, Mike Conley and his… pic.twitter.com/TVrfIJjP1x

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 15, 2025

While his praise of the Minnesota Timberwolves was a bit light on nice words for his arch-DPOY-nemesis, I think it’s safe to say after watching his presser, that Draymond Green won’t be talking much about Rudy Gobert. Recently, Draymond Green berated reporters over things his mom and dad taught him as a kid.

More than likely, I imagine he will suddenly remember another thing thing his parents taught him back in the day. ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.’ After this series, even Draymond knows nobody is going to take him seriously for negative Rudy Gobert opinions.

We’ll get to some of those momentarily. But first, let’s take a look at the current betting odds for the NBA Playoffs, after the Oklahoma City Thunder were shocked Monday night, in game one vs the Denver Nuggets, who now lead the series 1-0.

Sportsbooks like Minnesota Timberwolves in the West…?

Even after taking the upset haymaker in game one, OKC remains the betting favorite, not just in the West, but to win the entire thing, after Boston was also upset in game one of their round two series vs Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks.

Entering tonight’s tip at Target Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves currently hold the second-best odds (~3/1) to win the Western Conference and fourth-best odds (11/1) to win it all, according to major sportsbooks — DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM.

Aside from the Oklahoma City Thunder, only the East’s Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have better championship odds than Minnesota. All three teams lost their first game of their second round series on Monday.

The Timberwolves are -6.5 favorites to beat the Golden State Warriors in game one and -180 favorites to win the series. They started out their playoff journey underdogs against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Vegas made a fortune on uneducated Lakers/Yankees/Cowboys fans.

Obviously, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and the gang in Oakland have been there and seen it all. But this is another older team with plenty of superstar power, but no depth. Not to mention, neither Steph Curry nor Jimmy Butler are anywhere near 100% physically.

Now, let’s talk about these storylines…

Storylines galore for MN Timberwolves vs Warriors

Draymond Green will have to face the Rudy Gobert music, after years of bad mouthing the 7-foot Frenchman publicly whenever given the opportunity. He’ll have to prove everything he said during last year’s playoff run where he and the TNT crew mocked and ridiculed Gobert night in and night out. Oh, and there was the time he Draymond nearly choked Rudy out during a scrum a couple years ago.

"I'm a truth teller and right now the truth is, Rudy Gobert don't stand a chance against Joker."

Draymond Green absolutely laid into Rudy Gobert at halftime 😳

Facts or sour grapes? 🤔pic.twitter.com/E66wly4OqD

— Covers (@Covers) May 15, 2024

Draymond Green put Rudy Gobert in a headlock and was ejected 😳 pic.twitter.com/ub7ZT34WiL

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 15, 2023

Then… there’s Jimmy Butler, who has to face the Minnesota Timberwolves fan base for a seven-game series. Tuesday marks the first time the now 35-year-old has played in front of the Target Center crowd… since 2021.

Minnesota traded Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2018. Initially, Butler had no problems coming back to Target Center. The Sixers beat the Wolves in his first game back, in January 2019.

Jimmy Butler afraid to play the Minnesota Timberwolves?

But after being traded from Philly to Miami, Butler lost his next two games back in Minneapolis (Apr. 2021, Nov. 2021). That’s when he must have decided he no longer likes playing at Target Center anymore. Because every time his team has been back since November 2021, Jimmy has found a way out out of the lineup.

Whether the excuse has been rest, illness or injury, Butler has refused to play basketball in MN against the Wolves for 3.5 years. That’s four full seasons of avoiding the Target Center fans. But really, he doesn’t like to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at all anymore.

Since November 2021, Jimmy Butler has only played the Wolves one time. It came in Miami back in December, 2023. That too ended in a Timberwolves win. Hmm, I am starting to understand why Jimmy doesn’t like playing against his former team. But starting tonight, there’s nowhere for Butler to hide.

Anthony Edwards onto his next superstar funeral…?

Anthony Edwards has already sent plenty of superstars packing in the NBA playoffs. His list includes Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James. He would be adding Steph Curry to that group with another series win, and Minnesota would make consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder are the clear favorite at every sportsbook, and they are projected to be on a collision course with the Boston Celtics. However, the Towns-led New York Knicks knocked off Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night. The Nuggets did the same in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Anthony Edwards taking out legends one-by-one:

❌ Kevin Durant
❌ LeBron James

Stephen Curry next? pic.twitter.com/rxTePjrIEe

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) May 1, 2025

The Timberwolves can’t afford to get too far ahead of themselves. However, if they can advance another round and make things interesting against the Thunder, a ring doesn’t seem all that far-fetched.

Can the Timberwolves really do it?

Any assumptions that the MN Timberwolves will float easily by Golden State is a dangerous one. Even as slight favorites, they are in a similar spot as Los Angeles was prior to coming up short in round one. And we don’t have to mention how good we felt this time last year, entering the West Finals vs Dallas.

Related: MN Timberwolves President Pushes Back Against Rumors

If they can get it done, however, Vegas seems convinced that their next round opponent will be the Thunder. Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the rest of Mark Daigneault’s roster is scary. They have seven players that averaged double-digits this season, and SGA is always a threat to be handed 30 free throws in a game.

The Wolves did split the season series vs OKC, but that would all go out the window if they meet in the Western Conference Finals. Again, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. All we know now is that this Minnesota Timberwolves team is coming together at the right time. It’s still a long shot, but why bet against them now?

But during the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves were noticeably absent from the broadcast, even after game four, which they won. Why? Because, they reportedly (via The Athletic) decided as a team that they would boycott the show due to the disrespect they showed Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns throughout the playoffs.

Minnesota Timberwolves boycotted Inside the NBA

But mostly, they said ‘enough is enough’ after Inside the NBA — normally led by the affable Ernie Johnson and cohorts Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal — decided to pick up known Rudy Gobert and Timberwolves hater, Draymond Green as a guest panelist for the Western Conference Finals.

Edwards was surrounded by a tight-knit team, one with such strong chemistry that it decided as a group that no player would appear on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” postgame show after their victory in Game 4 in Dallas, team sources told The Athletic. The decision was a sign of support for Gobert and Towns, who were the subject of derisive and seemingly personal criticism from panelist and Golden State forward Draymond Green.

Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania (The Athletic)

"The big Frenchman is sitting on that podium speaking his native language. We, we, we need to do this. You, you, you need to get a stop… It's you, my man, that is getting cooked [by Nikola Jokic]."

Draymond Green sounded OFF on Rudy Gobert 👀
pic.twitter.com/S96Zd862NA

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2024

When Anthony Edwards helped to cap off a Game 7 victory against the Denver Nuggets, he famously instructed Charles Barkley to bring his ass to Minnesota. Inside the NBA was always going to come, but rather than Barkley’s derriere coming to Target Center, the host may have got confused and brought Draymond Green instead; a literal definition of the word.

At the first opportunity Green got to ask a question of Kyrie Irving postgame, he found a way to make the remark about Rudy Gobert. That sort of thought process quickly showed why the decision was destined to fail, and the Minnesota Timberwolves fan base threw fuel on the fire.

Related: Draymond Green is Still Talking About Rudy Gobert

While sitting at the desk during Game 1, fans could be heard chanting “Draymond sucks” so loud that both Barkley and O’Neal made motions showing how uncomfortable they were.

'Inside the NBA' was in the middle of meeting with Luka Doncic, when a "Draymond sucks!" chant broke out in Minnesota.

"Hey, go home! We'll see ya'll next year!" – Charles Barkley https://t.co/tdX5vYKnun pic.twitter.com/ozhIwUAGjs

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2024

Green has had problems with the Minnesota Timberwolves since the beginning of the season, and he was clearly unable to avoid more of them when appearing on Inside the NBA. It was so bad that following their Game 4 victory against the Dallas Mavericks, Chris Finch’s team decided to boycott the show.

Related: Draymond Green is so Obsessed with Rudy Gobert it’s Borderline Pathetic

When the series returned to Target Center for Game 5 on Thursday night, it was notable that Green was nowhere to be found. Not only had the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to boycott Inside the NBA, but the show itself appeared to reverse course and boycott Green as well.

Draymond Green had quite a wild ride this season for the Golden State Warriors, and some of his angst may be due to the fact that the dynasty run is over. He tangled with Rudy Gobert early on when putting him in a choke hold, and has spouted off about the Minnesota Timberwolves playoff run at multiple different points.

Draymond Green says something nice about the Minnesota Timberwolves?

Following a Game 7 victory that made him eat crow after saying they don’t have belief and the series was over, he finally found something positive to say.

"It's the ultimate team thing"

—@Money23Green on the beautiful brand of basketball that Minnesota is playing pic.twitter.com/vRXUGcb1OP

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) May 20, 2024

“What’s beautiful about what Minnesota is doing is it’s the ultimate team thing. Rudy Gobert came in and played big basketball, but that was after getting bullied. And KAT stepping up to that challenge and taking it on, and KAT stepping up for Ant Man, and Jaden McDaniels stepping up, Naz Reid stepping up. Like it’s the ultimate team thing and I think it’s absolutely beautiful to see. And I feel like they are taking those steps that you need to take as it go. I tip my hat to them. It’s going to be interesting to see them versus Dallas next series. It’s going to be a hell of a matchup. You’ve got a couple of young stars in Ant Man and Luka.”

Though he did throw some more shade at Rudy Gobert, Green went as positive as he may ever have towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he went as far as picking them to advance to the NBA Finals (for now).

The Wolves enter the series as favorites vs the Dallas Mavericks, and they won three of the four regular season contests (though three of those games didn’t include Kyrie Irving. With home court advantage, Chris Finch & Co have to feel good about the position his team is ultimately in.

Get used to Draymond Green…

Of course, with Draymond Green posted up somewhere in Cancun, he should have plenty of time to continue his analysis of the upcoming series and break down games for the masses. How he handles his assessment of Gobert specifically, but also the Timberwolves during those segments remains to be seen, but for now there’s a level of positivity.

Related: Watch Nikola Jokic Rave About How Good the Minnesota Timberwolves Are

We’ll have a very quick answer as to whether Green’s positivity stays towards the Timberwolves as he will join the Inside the NBA crew for the entirety of the Western Conference Finals. While personality has often got him thrown off the court, it seems to draw positive reviews from the media side of things.

After knocking out the defending champions in arguably the greatest game in franchise history, Finch and Micah Nori will need to get players turning the page and focused on the next task ahead of them. Dallas took out the favored Oklahoma City Thunder, and it’s beyond clear they don’t care whether or not they are seen as underdogs.

Immediately following the Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5 defeat against the Denver Nuggets he took aim at Rudy Gobert, yet again, blasting the reigning Defensive Player of the Year for a poor performance defending MVP Nikola Jokic in game 5.

Draymond Green goes after Rudy Gobert again

Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works with Draymond. Speaking on his own show, Green takes aim at Gobert in a big way. Without any sort of an understanding that NBA positions are more fluid now than they ever have been in history, it’s not shocking that Green finds himself on the way out of the league, and a pair of teammates that carried him to relevance slowly fading into the background.

“There’s a center who won DPOY and we asking KAT to go guard the center”

—@Money23Green on KAT guarding Jokić pic.twitter.com/i1wedhirxE

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) May 17, 2024

Draymond: “We sitting here breaking down KAT having to stop Joker, who’s a center, and the defensive player of the year is on your team. Very interesting how the cookie crumbles. It’s like, if Marcus Smart won defensive player of the year back then, which he did, and then they’re like, ‘But Jaylen [Brown], you gotta go guard Steph [Curry].’ But Marcus Smart’s a point guard. Marcus Smart, you won defensive player of the year, you gotta guard Steph, right?”

Co-Host: “You can’t help yourself, can you?”

Draymond: “I love the game within the game, more than anything. When I’m watching these games, I’m watching the game within the game. And I can’t help but notice, like, there is a center that won defensive player of the year and we asking KAT to go guard the center.”

The Draymond Green Show

Related: Draymond Green is so Obsessed with Rudy Gobert it’s Borderline Pathetic

To a certain extent, Green wasn’t wrong. Rudy Gobert got beat like a drum by the Denver Nuggets all night long in game 5. But any real analysis can only shed so much blame onto the “Stifle Tower”. Minnesota has been at their best defensively, this series, when Gobert is playing a rover position, off Nikola Jokic.

Minnesota Timberwolves play team defense, not Rudy Gobert defense

That way, Rudy can help around the rim, like he always does, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid play a more aggressive 1v1 defensive style on Jokic that takes away his first move. Gobert and others then choose their outlets to take away from the Nuggets when Jokic has to pass.

Keeping Karl Anthony Towns on Nikola Jokic, as opposed to Rudy Gobert, is a priority for Minny not just because it keeps Rudy available to roam, but also because KAT is a legitimately a better Jokic defender.

If it's Rudy here, Jokic is taking him down to the rim and scoring. pic.twitter.com/SUSUFmUZbF

— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) May 17, 2024

Aaron Gordon for three? Go for it. Jamal Murray, that outlet needs to be covered. Make their depth players beat you. But in Game 5, Karl Anthony Towns ran into foul trouble early, which forced Rudy to guard Jokic. And, as we have learned, that is a recipe for disaster.

Biggest focus point pada penjagaan Jokic di Game 6:

1) AG-Jokic PnR: No switch. KAT stay dengan Jokic
2) Jokic post-ups: double team dari “1 pass away” seperti di video.

As soon as Conley commit, lalu McD rotate ke KCP, lalu Reid bantu.

Team effort.

pic.twitter.com/sgpsNgLHue

— Box Out Indonesia (@boxoutindonesia) May 17, 2024

But not because of Rudy’s defensive acumen. More so because it makes the Nuggets a lot more difficult to guard, in general. Suggesting this defensive game plan is a knock against Gobert is a gross misunderstanding of the Wolves’ defensive scheme. Draymond Green, another former DPOY, should know that.

Ultimately, a huge key to Minnesota beating Denver on Sunday night is for Karl Anthony Towns to stay on the floor and out of foul trouble so he can guard Nikola Jokic. Not because KAT can necessarily stop Jokic more effectively than Rudy, but because it’s best for the team if their DPOY committed to making the defense better elsewhere.

Related: A-Rod, Marc Lore Acting and Partying Like Majority Owners of the Timberwolves

The best players are willing to do whatever it takes to make their teams better. Rudy isn’t worried about stopping the reigning MVP. He’s worried about winning. And that’s why the Timberwolves play the defense they play

Denver sets two high screens for Jamal Murray. Jokic is the second screener which puts KAT in the action, Gordon spaced in the corner. KAT with half of a hedge instead funneling to Gobert at the rim and that's *checks notes* Game 1. pic.twitter.com/34Hxl1nAFE

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) May 17, 2024

Rudy’s best game of the series may have been Game 6 when he contributed just 10 points. The way that opened Rudy Gobert to operate defensively was something that Jokic couldn’t contend with, and it permeated throughout the unit as Anthony Edwards shut down Jamal Murray as well.

But Green isn’t worried about the Wolves defense playing well. He just wants to see Gobert get beat by Joker as much as possible so he can go on his podcast and on TNT to make fun of him. He serves his personal agenda, and he’s jealous of Rudy Gobert’s four DPOY awards.

Related: 5 Biggest Heroes from Timberwolves’ Game Six Win Over Nuggets

So it’s nice of Green to constantly chime in whenever there’s an opportunity to come at Gobert, but ultimately his offseason started quite a while ago, and he may want to watch more game film if he’s trying to set up a respectable post-playing career. The hate will only take him so far.

If you ask Draymond Green, who has been a guest panelist for TNT’s studio playoff coverage the last couple of days, that question, the answer will be a resounding no. We know that because Draymond has spent an uncomfortable amount of his airtime the past couple days talking down on the Minnesota Timberwolves big man.

Draymond Green thinks he could guard Nikola Jokic better than Rudy Gobert

It started yesterday, when Green blamed Gobert for Nikola Jokic going off in game 5. And he didn’t hesitate to jump in on Alex Caruso tonight, who was also on the TNT playoff pregame show, to make it clear that he believes he would play better defense on Jokic than the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

Chuck tried pic.twitter.com/bLOu0kmbi8

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 15, 2024

Caruso: “I mean, nobody can guard Jokic, but…”

Draymond: “Uh, I disagree. Put it like this…”

Chuck: “Uh uh, don’t do that. Don’t do that.”

Draymond: “I can guard [Jokic] better than he’s being guarded.”

Chuck: “I knew you were gonna do it.”

Draymond: “Yeah, I can. It’s been proven.”

But we only have to go back a few months to find the video of Draymond putting Rudy in a headlock during a game. That, just months after he called Gobert soft after he and teammate Kyle Anderson got into it on the Timberwolves sideline late in the 2022-23 season.

Draymond Green is obsessed with Rudy Gobert

In other words, Draymond Green is always talking about, thinking about, or even holding onto Rudy Gobert. Why? Because he is a man obsessed. Anytime he is given the opportunity, he is going to bring up the Wolves big man. It’s borderline pathetic, but that’s nothing all that new when it comes to Draymond Green.

His hate for Rudy makes sense, when you think about it. Gobert won his fourth defensive player of the year award in the last six season. Green has won just one, and it came the season before Rudy won his first.

"BBQ chicken is happening…I'm a truth-teller, and right now, the truth is, Rudy Gobert doesn't stand a chance against Joker."

– Draymond Green

(via @NBAonTNT)

pic.twitter.com/0eVatk0Lil

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 15, 2024

Related: Anthony Edwards Promises a Game 7 and Sportsbooks Agree

Draymond has made the the NBA All-Defensive Team eight times. You think he doesn’t believe that he deserves at least one more of those Hakeem Olajuwon Trophies, over Gobert, who has won four since Green won his last? I think the answer to that question is pretty obvious.

There are certainly multiple ways to look at Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. He is a great talent with multiple rings and significant success on his resume. He is also a buffoon that is consistently embarrassing himself on the court, and he has a history with the Timberwolves Rudy Gobert. Earlier this season, Draymond put the Minnesota center in a choke hold, and bias certainly has play in his analysis of the Timberwolves star, but he also comes correct.

Minnesota Timberwolves need Rudy Gobert to do more

On Tuesday night, when the Minnesota Timberwolves had a significant opportunity to retake momentum in the series, Rudy Gobert was unable to come through. Facing the MVP in Nikola Jokic, the Serbian was able to have his way with the Minnesota center. Nothing Gobert was able to do slowed The Joker down, and his third quarter was something of a masterpiece.

“When you lose the belief… it’s over. They don’t believe they can win anymore, which means this series is over.”

Draymond sounds off on Gobert and the T-Wolves 👀 pic.twitter.com/c0U7LLOxKw

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 15, 2024

“Two things on why this series is not coming back to Minnesota. Number one, the big Frenchman is sitting on that podium speaking his native language, ‘we we we [aka: wi, wi, wi in French] need to do this’. You you you need to get a stop, not ‘we’. Karl-Anthony Towns is actually doing a pretty good job when he’s on Joker. It’s you, my man, that’s getting cooked. So there’s no ‘we’. Yes, you do need help from other guys, but on some of those, help can’t help you. You just gotta get a stop. So, that’s Number one.”

Draymond Green talking about Rudy Gobert on the TNT postgame show

You’d think Draymond Green has played enough playoff series to know that game 6 is back in Minnesota, so the series will be back at Target Center on Thursday night. So let’s set the record straight, there. Now, let’s talk about Rudy Gobert vs Nikola Jokic.

During this series the best defensive game Minnesota has played against Jokic came in a game without Gobert. Having just experienced the birth of his first child, Gobert missed Game 2, and the combination of Karl Anthony Towns and Naz Reid slowed the Nuggets big man. Finding a way to replicate that success isn’t something Minnesota has been able to do, and nothing Rudy Gobert has done is working.

Nikola Jokic took the Timberwolves to school tonight

Just watch 🤯

(🎥 @Digits3App ) pic.twitter.com/y7lUOCKwFv

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 15, 2024

“The second half, we got a little too demoralized and we can’t have that. I think we have to be mentally tough, individually and collectively, to be able to keep playing our game and not let anything that happened in the game affect the way we play and the way we…affect our confidence and the way we compete.” Nothing Gobert suggested is incorrect, it is a team game, but his team needs him to step up against one of the best in the world in a way which he has yet to do.

A Switch Must be Made for Rudy Gobert vs Nikola Jokic

Chris Finch isn’t going to bench his Defensive Player of the Year, nor should he. That said, it’s clear that the defensive matchup with Nikola Jokic isn’t currently working. When the Timberwolves had things rolling in the first two games of the series, they were frustrating Jokic and keeping his big body moving. Although Towns and Reid don’t have the length that Gobert does, they were able to move Jokic with athleticism.

It will be on both Finch and Micah Nori to figure out a way for Gobert to be utilized and not wasted against the Nuggets star. Maybe that means making him a second line of defense and more of the rim protector, or maybe it’s telling him to ratchet up the physicality and hoping that the officials swallow their whistles. No matter what, repeating the same process that has played out the past three games isn’t going to work.

Related: NBA Fines Rudy Gobert Again, Proving it Pays to Be Jamal Murray

Draymond Green definitely has feelings behind calling out Gobert specifically, but if you want to claim being the best defender in the world, then shutting down the best player has to be part of your resume. Draymond went on to chalk this series up as finished. Here is the rest of his quote from the video above, which included strays for KAT.

“Number two, when you’re in these playoff series, for me, I’m always looking for the smallest ounce of weakness that I can find. And the way Karl-Anthony Towns walked off that floor and limped, after he played the rest of that game totally fine… and then he could barely walk leaving the court.

They don’t believe anymore. And when you lose belief, that’s a championship team you’re playing, when you lose the belief, it’s over. And they don’t believe they can win anymore, which means this series is over.”

Yet, as mentioned, Green knows a thing or two about playing on a championship level basketball team and what it’s like to play with a teammate who many would consider one of the faces of the NBA, in Steph Curry. Edwards may not have the same experiences as Green, but he is trying to unlock the key to becoming a consistent winner, like Draymond has been, and is also in consideration to be one of the future cornerstones of the NBA.

As you can see, there are parallels, but that’s where the comparisons stop. The only reason we’re talking about a player from the Golden State Warriors is because Draymond Green loves to talk. And he loves to criticize.

Draymond Green Thinks Anthony Edwards Needs To Grow Up

Draymond Green has had plenty of opinions about the Minnesota Timberwolves over the years. But now, instead of being a hater, he can’t help but join in on the fun of loving Anthony Edwards. Yet, this is Draymond Green we’re talking about. He still has plenty of hot takes too.

Recently, Green chimed in on Edwards’ actions during the NBA All-Star break, where the Timberwolves star appeared in the Skills Challenge and the actual game portion of the weekend. Let’s just say, Green didn’t like what he saw from the 22-year-old.

"As the face of the NBA, you're kinda in direct partnership with the NBA to continue to move this thing forward"

—@Money23Green tells us why he disagreed with how Anthony Edwards handled the All-Star Game pic.twitter.com/bdmTR85ph1

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) February 24, 2024

“To see somebody like Anthony Edwards, who a lot of people are hailing as the next face of the league, blatantly say ‘we don’t care.’ To me, that was a bit disheartening. A big deal on guy’s resumes is All-Star MVP. We’ve seen Kobe [Bryant] win it over the years, LeBron James, KD. I don’t understand why a young Anthony Edwards wouldn’t want his name next to the likes of those guys.

So, to play defense backwards, to shoot left-handed threes, I thought that was a little outlandish; I thought it was a little crazy. As the face of the NBA, you’re kind of in direct partnership with the NBA to continue to move this thing forward. And maybe Anthony Edwards doesn’t want to be the face of the NBA. But if Anthony Edwards is who I think he is, somebody needs to be teaching him. Someone needs to tell him it’s about more than just being good at basketball.”

Draymond Green sharing his opinion of Anthony Edwards’ All-Star actions

To be fair, Green makes some solid points here. Edwards does have some room to mature, as most 22-year-olds do. It is odd for him to try shooting left-handed unless, you know, he can actually pull it off. We all know you’re talented. That’s not a question.

But then again, this is the All-Star Game we’re talking about. Players are there to put on a show. If it were that serious, you’d see some defense once in a while. And let’s be real, nobody cares or remembers who wins the All-Star Game MVP.

Related: Patrick Beverley Calls Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch a ‘Sore Loser’

Draymond should probably worry more about other NBA players taking him seriously. The same guy lecturing Ant about protecting the NBA name is the same guy who was suspended indefinitely earlier this season because he can’t control his temper in games that actually count. Have a little bit of self-awareness at least, right?

Ant clearly has bigger dreams in mind, and it’s obvious winning All-Star MVP isn’t one of them. Even once he touched the ball at the All-Star Game, we saw him and Karl-Anthony Towns play hot potato, nearly re-living a Jackie Moon scene from Semi-Pro. Neither of those players showed any interest in winning MVP, but if there’s one who did later on, it was KAT, who put up 50 points.

But yeah, I’m sure everyone still remembers where they were when unforgettable basketball icon Edward Smith won the All-Star Game MVP back in 1978 for the Buffalo Braves. Maybe Ant can get there next year if only he’d stop taking those damn left-handed shots.

Their lack of focus and energy wasn’t a surprise, after everything that happened a couple of states away one night earlier. Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels were tossed for trying to rip each others’ jerseys off early in the 1st quarter.

Draymond Green was ejected too, and later suspended, for putting Rudy Gobert in a 10-second sleeper hold (that Adam Sandler is surely proud of) that quickly diverted attention away from the original kerfuffle.

pic.twitter.com/FVgqh7Zg9f

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 15, 2023

Rudy Gobert Says Draymond Green ejections are Steph Curry related

Related: NBA Insider: Minnesota Timberwolves are Serious Title Contenders in 2023-24

When the dust settled and everyone was ejected accordingly, Minnesota went on to defeat Golden State in a game that was way closer than it should have been, given the Warriors were without their core three players.

In the postgame Wolves locker room, the Gobert vs Green drama got meatier when Rudy called Draymond’s headlock “clown behavior”. But the cherry on top came when the Timberwolves big man floated his theory regarding the intent behind said clown behavior…

Rudy Gobert on the Draymond Green headlock:

"It’s kind of funny because before the game, I was telling myself that Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try and get ejected. Because every time Steph doesn’t play, he doesn’t want to play – it’s his guy Steph. He’ll…

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) November 15, 2023

Steph Curry was ruled out of the Timberwolves vs Warriors game, just a few hours prior to tip-off, because of knee soreness. Is it really possible that Draymond Green hates playing without Steph Curry so much that he actively pursues ways out of games without “his guy”?

That putting Rudy in a sleeperhold while he was trying to break up the fight between Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels was nothing more than Green seizing an opportunity to go watch the game back in the locker room with Steph? Big if true…

Turns out, Gobert is right…

And what do you know, it looks like Gobert’s accusations are rooted in truth. Of course, the internet did some digging on Draymond’s past ejections and guess what they found…? According to ClutchPoints.com, seven of the last eleven (64%) Draymond Green ejections have come in games where Steph Curry wasn’t playing.

Rudy Gobert just exposed Draymond Green, and the stats back him up.

After Draymond was ejected for putting Gobert in a chokehold, Gobert claimed he knew it would happen because of Steph Curry.

"Every time Steph doesn't play, he doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he… pic.twitter.com/mo1iSuXiiN

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 17, 2023

Apparently, the first of those last eleven ejections came vs Rudy Gobert’s Utah Jazz, meaning the now Wolves center has been paying attention to this odd phenomenon for years.

The (8-3) Minnesota Timberwolves will look to rebound from their loss vs the Suns, on Saturday, when the play in New Orleans vs the Pelicans.

Read all of our Timberwolves blogs

However, amidst the positives, a heated on-court altercation has sparked a debate among Timberwolves faithful regarding player roles and team loyalty. The game against the Warriors witnessed a fiery exchange in the initial minutes, escalating into a chaotic scuffle between players.

This is psycho behavior by Draymond Green pic.twitter.com/88pU97pP0R

— Phil Mackey 🎙 (@PhilMackey) November 15, 2023

Related: Draymond Green Talked Trash to the Wrong Dude in Anthony Edwards

The altercation, involving Klay Thompson, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Draymond Green, led to ejections and intensified emotions on the court. In the locker room after the game, Rudy called Draymond’s sleeperhold “clown behavior” and accused him of getting ejected on purpose.

Patrick Beverley calls out Karl-Anthony Towns

Former Timberwolves point guard Patrick Beverley, known for his passionate demeanor, went on his podcast, the Pat Bev Pod and expressed disappointment in his one-time teammate Karl-Anthony Towns.

Bev thinks KAT should have done more to get Green off of Gobert, who found himself in a Draymond Green chokehold during the commotion. Beverley feels that he taught Towns better than that during his time in Minnesota.

Pat Bev calls out KAT for not having Rudy Gobert’s back

“I taught you better than that.”

(🎥 @PatBevPod )

pic.twitter.com/2Keut3yA30

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 15, 2023

While Patrick Beverley may have a small point, I lean toward the positive side of KAT’s reaction… or lack there of. He understands that he is an important part of the team and showcased a composed and mature response. Despite the chaos that unfolded, Towns remained focused on the goal. Winning. And that is an example of great leadership in my book.

Minnesota Timberwolves needed KAT on the court vs Warriors

His performance of 33 points and 11 rebounds, including a crucial late-game three-pointer, solidified the team’s triumph and showcased his dedication to winning this season. The differing perspectives between Beverley and Towns reflected a broader debate within the Timberwolves’ fanbase on social media—one that delves into the evolving nature of player roles and the balance between loyalty and professionalism on the court.

For passionate Timberwolves fans, the team’s meteoric rise to the second spot in the Western Conference is a cause for celebration and optimism. With an impressive 8-2 record, the team has demonstrated resilience, unity, and the ability to compete at a high level.

Related: Timberwolves are Bill Simmons’ Sleeper; Top-5 in His NBA Power Rankings

The victory over the Warriors, coupled with Towns’ standout performance, highlights the team’s potential for success this season. It signifies a shift in the Timberwolves’ approach, focusing on strategic gameplay and unity rather than engaging in unnecessary confrontations that could risk player ejections and suspensions. Something you love to see as a Timberwolves fan.

As the team continues its journey this NBA season, I am sure there will be no shortage of jokes and comments made about KAT’s response to his teammate being choked out. But at the end of the day, Patrick Beverley isn’t in the Timberwolves locker room anymore. The only people he has to answer to are his teammates.

At the end of the day, this emotional win over the Warriors not only solidified their position in the standings but also prompted a lot of social media, podcast, and media material. It will hopefully be a funny part of a successful Timberwolves season.