Timberwolves Blow Another Lead, and Rudy Gobert Isn’t Sugarcoating It
The Minnesota Timberwolves let another one slip away on Friday night, coughing up an 18-point lead to the New Orleans Pelicans in a game that felt all too familiar. After the final buzzer, Rudy Gobert didn’t hold back. He stood in front of the media for over seven minutes, delivering a message that’s been simmering for a while: the Wolves need to show more effort - and more accountability.
Gobert’s tone was blunt, his words direct.
“There's just no effort,” he said. “We've seen that many, many times this year, last few years since I've been here.
We always know it's coming, and when it comes, there's no sense of urgency. No accountability.
So I think at some point, if the players don't have accountability, someone else gotta have accountability for the players. I'm just talking straight effort.”
That last line - “just talking straight effort” - says it all. This wasn’t about schemes, matchups, or Xs and Os.
This was about heart, urgency, and the willingness to compete for a full 48 minutes. And right now, the Timberwolves just aren’t bringing that consistently.
Defense Disappearing at the Worst Times
Effort is a tricky thing to quantify, but when you’ve watched the Wolves this season, you don’t need a stat sheet to tell you when the energy vanishes. It’s written all over the floor - in slow rotations, in missed assignments, in the way opponents suddenly start raining down open threes.
Against the Pelicans, Minnesota’s defense crumbled late. New Orleans shot 44.1% from deep, and while some of that was shot-making, the Wolves’ off-ball defense and closeouts left a lot to be desired. This isn’t a new issue - it’s been a pattern all season.
Yes, Minnesota still ranks among the league’s top 10 in overall defensive rating. But that stat alone doesn’t tell the full story.
When the Wolves defend at a high level - specifically, when their defensive rating sits at 105.5 or lower - they’re undefeated at 15-0. But when that number balloons to 119.8 or higher?
They’re just 2-12. That’s a massive swing, and it underscores how closely their success is tied to defensive engagement.
The Stars Need to Lead on Both Ends
Gobert didn’t name names, but the numbers point to two players in particular: Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Both are offensive stars.
Both are capable of electrifying a crowd with a highlight-reel play. But on the defensive end, the effort hasn’t matched the talent.
Whether it’s ball-watching, slow closeouts, or missed rotations, the lapses are piling up. And the data backs it up.
With Randle on the bench, the Wolves’ defense improves by 11.6 points per 100 possessions. With Edwards off the floor, it improves by 8.5.
Those numbers rank in the 2nd and 6th percentiles league-wide, respectively, according to Cleaning the Glass.
That’s not just a small dip - that’s a defensive cliff.
What’s frustrating is that both players can defend. Edwards, in particular, has flashed the ability to be a disruptive on-ball defender when locked in.
But focus and consistency have been elusive. And for a team with playoff aspirations, that’s a problem.
Leadership, too, is part of the equation. Edwards is just 24 and still growing into his role as a franchise cornerstone.
He’s shown moments of vocal leadership, but it’s clear that part of his game is still developing. Randle, a veteran, hasn’t exactly filled that void either.
When they speak to the media, their messages often lack urgency or accountability. That’s where Gobert stepped in - and stepped up.
Coaching Accountability in the Spotlight
Of course, it’s not just on the players. Head coach Chris Finch is catching heat as well - and not without reason. When effort issues keep popping up, it raises the question: is the message getting through?
Gobert didn’t let the coaching staff off the hook.
“It starts with ourselves, but it seems like we don't have that,” he said. “So I think at some point, from the coaches, yeah, from the coaches.
It's not an easy position for a coach to take guys out of the game. It's not something you want to do.
But I think if the players don't show any effort, at some point, no matter how talented we are as a team, if you don't have that, we just can't be a winning team.”
That’s about as close as you’ll get to a player publicly calling for stronger accountability from the bench. Gobert knows it’s not easy to bench stars, but he’s also saying what many fans are thinking: if effort isn’t there, something has to change.
Finch, for his part, didn’t exactly push back. In his postgame comments, he pointed to the players - noting that Gobert’s rim protection wasn’t where it needed to be and suggesting that the team didn’t stick to the game plan, particularly when it came to defending Zion Williamson.
That’s a fair critique. But when the same issues keep surfacing - blown leads, sluggish rotations, disappearing urgency - it’s hard not to wonder if there’s a deeper disconnect between the locker room and the coaching staff.
Where Do the Wolves Go From Here?
The Timberwolves have the talent. That much isn’t in question.
They’ve shown flashes of being a legitimate threat in the West. But talent alone doesn’t win games - especially not in crunch time, especially not in the playoffs.
What’s missing right now is consistency, defensive buy-in, and leadership - both on the floor and from the sideline. Gobert’s message was clear: effort is non-negotiable. And if the players don’t bring it, someone - whether it’s the coach or the front office - has to hold them accountable.
Friday’s loss wasn’t just another game. It was a mirror. And what the Timberwolves saw staring back at them wasn’t pretty.
The question now: will they respond? Or will this become just another missed opportunity in a season that’s starting to feel like a rerun?