Rudy Gobert Takes the Blame as Timberwolves Let One Slip Away in Houston
HOUSTON - On a night when the Minnesota Timberwolves had every opportunity to walk out of Toyota Center with a win, it was the little things - the missed free throws, the mental lapses, the untimely turnovers - that added up to a frustrating 110-105 loss to the Houston Rockets. And Rudy Gobert wasn’t shying away from the blame.
The veteran center, who’s been a cornerstone of Minnesota’s post-Thanksgiving surge and a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate, had one of his roughest outings of the season. Gobert went just 2-of-10 from the free-throw line, including a pair of air balls, and had a fourth quarter he’ll want to forget - two costly turnovers, several defensive miscues, and a foul that had everyone scratching their heads.
“Just a lot of plays, man. Mistakes.
Free throws. A lot of things that I can control,” Gobert said postgame.
“I definitely cost us the game. I take responsibility for that.
I’ve got to be better.”
That accountability is what you expect from a leader, but it doesn’t erase the impact of the mistakes. Gobert’s struggles at the line weren’t just isolated - they were emblematic of a larger issue for this Wolves team.
Minnesota came into the night ranked seventh in free throw attempts, but just 28th in percentage. Against Houston, they went 20-of-35 from the stripe.
Do the math: even hitting half of those 15 misses likely changes the outcome.
And it wasn’t just Gobert. Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Mike Conley all missed free throws in the fourth quarter. When games get tight - as this one did - those missed chances loom large.
“We have good shooters from the line missing them, too,” head coach Chris Finch said, clearly frustrated but not pointing fingers.
Still, Gobert’s performance stood out. He was just 1-of-4 from the line in the fourth quarter alone.
The Wolves lost that quarter by six. That’s the margin right there.
And while Gobert has never been known for his free-throw shooting - his career mark hovers around 63.7 percent - this season has been a step back, down to 50.6 percent after showing improvement last year.
“I think it’s just (try not to) overthink it,” Gobert said. “When you try to make them too much, that’s when you miss.
Just gotta keep working and not overthink. Go up there relaxed and confident.”
But the missed shots weren’t the only problem. With just over four minutes left and the Wolves trailing by six, Gobert missed two free throws, then committed a foul on Josh Okogie - a non-shooter - by leaping out at him in the corner and putting him on the line. Finch didn’t mince words: “There’s no point to leave your feet and come down on him in that situation.”
That kind of play is uncharacteristic for Gobert, who’s built a reputation on discipline and defensive IQ. And he knew it.
“I’m smarter than that,” Gobert said. “I’m the one that has to make the smartest play defensively, not the dumbest play.
Tonight, I made the dumbest play. I’ve just gotta be better and I’ll do it.”
It was a rough night for others, too. Bones Hyland struggled mightily, going 1-of-4 from the field, missing both of his free throws, and committing a costly foul on Alperen Şengün before an inbounds play - gifting the Rockets a free point and possession.
Julius Randle did his part offensively, pouring in 39 points with Anthony Edwards sidelined for a second straight game due to a toe infection. But Randle also turned the ball over five times, including two in the final quarter. The Wolves shot a solid 53 percent in the fourth, but eight turnovers in that stretch limited their ability to close the gap.
The frustrating part? Minnesota had this game in hand.
They led by 12 in the first half. They won the rebounding battle 45-42.
They held Houston - one of the league’s best offensive rebounding teams - to zero offensive boards in the fourth quarter. That’s usually a winning formula.
But the self-inflicted wounds were too much to overcome.
Naz Reid was a bright spot off the bench, scoring 25 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night. Still, it wasn’t enough to offset big nights from Kevin Durant (39 points) and Şengün (25 points, 14 rebounds). And while Houston didn’t exactly shoot the lights out from the line either (20-of-34), they made just enough to hold off the Wolves.
Help could be on the way soon. Edwards traveled with the team to Texas and got in a pregame workout.
He’s been dealing with a painful toe infection - something that’s lingered - but was reportedly in good spirits. Finch described him as day-to-day and didn’t believe the issue would be long-term.
The Wolves, now 27-15 and 17-7 since Thanksgiving, have let a few of these close ones slip away. Add this one to the list. It’s the kind of loss that stings not because the opponent was better, but because the Wolves beat themselves.
And Gobert knows it.
“I’ll take this one,” he said. “It’s on me. I’ve got to be better.”