The narrative surrounding Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert matchups has undergone a significant change. Memories of Jokic dominating Gobert in Game 5 of the 2024 Western Conference semifinals are fading fast.
Back then, Jokic, fresh off receiving his third MVP trophy, exploited Minnesota’s defensive strategy, which involved using Karl-Anthony Towns on Jokic, allowing Gobert to roam. Jokic exposed Gobert, scoring 40 points with 13 assists and zero turnovers. Anthony Edwards could only respond with laughter.
Gobert’s Impact in the Current Series
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are currently tied 1-1. Game 3 is on Thursday night. Gobert’s play in the first two games has been stellar, overshadowing Jokic’s previous dominance.
Statistically, Jokic is performing well, averaging 24.5 points, 9.5 assists, and 14 rebounds per game, with a 64 percent shooting accuracy on 2-point attempts. Denver is also plus-10 when Jokic is on the court. Despite these numbers, Gobert’s individual defence against Jokic has been exceptional.
Gobert has been a deterrent, denying Jokic the ball and disrupting his usual comfort zones. He’s speeding Jokic up, forcing him to second-guess decisions. Jokic’s on-ball percentage in these playoffs is 14.8 percent, compared to 26.2 percent during the regular season.
Defensive Strategy and Discipline
Against inverted ball screens, Gobert has stayed with Jokic on drives and cuts, bothering him at the rim without fouling.
Gobert has also maintained a strong presence in the paint, avoiding post-move trickery. After Game 2, Anthony Edwards said, “I told [Gobert] we ain’t bringing no double-team. You gonna guard [Jokic] one-on-one. Stop fouling. Stop going for the reach-in. Because he’s going to flop. They’re going to call the foul. Play him straight up.”
- Denver’s offensive rating with Jokic on the court is 1.1 percentage points below league average during the series.
- During the regular season, it was 11.8 percentage points above it.
- That was an NBA best.
The Timberwolves’ ability to guard Jokic with a single player could be a game-changer. It may seem counterintuitive to encourage shots from Jokic, given his efficiency, but that’s broadly the strategy.