Rudy Gobert isn’t interested in changing the script. For the Timberwolves’ center, the point is to keep overwhelming teams with the same brand of production he’s built his reputation on.
After Minnesota’s 117-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, Gobert laid out exactly how he sees his job.
“My role is to be who I am, be the best in the world at what I do, and then offensively, just continue to dominate,” Gobert said. “I dominate in my own way, running, my screening, my offensive rebounding, and of course, punishing teams on the basket.”
That approach showed up in the box score as well. Gobert had 8 points and 13 rebounds while Minnesota moved to 3-0 on the season. He may not fit the old-school image of a big man living on post-ups and shot creation, but he keeps making himself valuable in ways that don’t always show up in the cleanest highlight packages.
His offensive game is built on force and function: hard screens, work on the glass, constant pressure in pick-and-roll action, and enough spacing to make defenders stay honest in the lane. What he doesn’t bring is the kind of traditional isolation skill that lets a center create his own shot without help or a putback.
Through three games, Gobert is averaging 9.0 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 71.4% from the field.
The defensive résumé remains the loudest part of his profile. Gobert has won NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times, taking the award in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024. And as the season unfolds, the Timberwolves are expected to be part of the conversation around a potential ‘superteam’, with Gobert, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels forming the core.
Minnesota’s next test comes Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. Tipoff is set for 6:00 pm CST/7:00 pm EST.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Had 47 But Wolves Still Blew A Winnable Game
Anthony Edwards turned in a huge scoring night, pouring in 47 points and giving Minnesota plenty of chances to take control, but the Timberwolves could never quite turn the game into a finish they could trust. Cleveland stayed close throughout, with Donovan Mitchell pacing the Cavaliers at 26 points and help coming from James Harden and Evan Mobley as the matchup stayed tight late.
The Wolves had enough stretches to make this feel winnable, yet the little things kept stacking up against them. Minnesota gave the ball away 18 times and struggled to make enough threes to fully cash in on Edwards brilliance, leaving the game hanging in the balance when it should have been out of reach. [Read more 🡒]
Wolves Face Early Test Without A Key Rotation Piece
Minnesota gets a little early-season reminder of how thin the margins can be, with Donte DiVincenzo unavailable because of an Achilles injury ahead of the matchup with Cleveland. His absence matters because he is part of the rotation structure the Timberwolves have leaned on, and any game against a team like the Cavaliers already asks plenty of their perimeter depth and defensive versatility.
Cleveland brings its own injury questions into the night, with two players on its report, but the bigger issue for Minnesota is how it absorbs the missing backcourt piece without losing balance. The Wolves have built this season with an eye on continuity and the standards they set last year, and the test now is whether that depth holds up when a familiar rotation slot suddenly has to be covered by committee. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves 3-0 Start Is Fueling Real Belief In Their Depth
The early returns have done more than pad the standings for the Timberwolves. A 3-0 start against playoff-caliber Eastern Conference teams has given this group something it had to earn the hard way, which is proof that the roster can hold up even when the spotlight shifts away from the stars. What has stood out most is how the bench has already tilted games, with role players stepping into real minutes and giving Minnesota a different kind of edge than the one most teams expect in October.
Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Trey Lyles have all helped shape that feel, while Jonathan Kuminga has settled in as a complementary starter who fits cleanly alongside the main pieces. The bigger question now is whether this is a hot opening stretch or the start of a deeper identity, because the Timberwolves have already shown enough to make people believe their second unit can carry weight when the matchups get tougher. [Read more 🡒]