After a lopsided Game 1 loss to the Thunder, Rudy Gobert made it clear that his focus for Game 2 is reestablishing Minnesota’s defensive identity.
In his comments to reporters Wednesday, the Timberwolves center pointed to his early foul trouble as a critical disruption to his impact in the series opener.
“First foul definitely was a mistake on my hand,” Gobert said. “I just got to be better, just got to be ready for what’s coming, and I can’t let my team down by getting in trouble early like that.”
The Thunder overwhelmed Minnesota in the second half Tuesday, outscoring them 70-40 behind 31 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a dominant third quarter run.
Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, acknowledged the defensive breakdowns and took personal responsibility for anchoring the team on that end. “My job is to help my team dominate on both ends and set the tone defensively by being who I am,” he said.
The Wolves held a four-point halftime lead before collapsing under Oklahoma City’s pace, paint pressure, and bench contributions. Minnesota was held to 34.9% shooting, including 15-of-51 from deep.
“They’re relentless,” Gobert said of the Thunder. “We’ve got to play through that consistently and not let that—a missed call or missing shots—disrupt us from getting to the next play.”
Gobert emphasized that the game plan wasn’t the issue. Instead, he pointed to lapses in execution and composure once momentum shifted. “I thought first half we did everything we were supposed to do,” he said. “But when we don’t score, we can’t get frustrated. We can’t lose track of what we’re supposed to do.”
One of his main takeaways was Oklahoma City’s ability to shrink the floor and limit interior access. “They’re really forcing us to make the easy, boring play,” he said. “You can’t sort of force things into the paint… There’s going to be three, four, five guys in the paint.”
Despite allowing 114 points and 50% shooting, Gobert found some positives in how the Wolves made Gilgeous-Alexander work. “I think we made him work,” he said. “Which is what we want to do—force him into the toughest shots possible and make sure we get back in transition.”
Looking ahead to Thursday’s Game 2, the Timberwolves center stressed the need for focus and presence. “It’s just being ready today and being focused on what we can do today… to help our team win.”
The Timberwolves trail 1-0 in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 2 tipping off in Oklahoma City.
