Rudy Gobert is the wrong center for the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were unsure how Rudy Gobert would mesh with the rest of the roster when the organization acquired him via trade in June. Head Coach Chris Finch acknowledged after Gobert's introductory press conference that he had spent time diagramming different ways to use the center's skills within the team's system.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, Finch is searching for ways to incorporate Gobert's skills into the Timberwolves' scheme as Gobert has struggled to get on the same page as his teammates on the defensive end of the floor. Finch has openly stated in the past that he wants his players to apply ball pressure to get a steal or force a turnover.
The Minnesota Timbewolves' defensive system
Finch's defensive principles are most effective when the team has players on the second level of the defense to serve as a backup in case the perimeter defender gets caught on a screen or over-commits for a steal. For example, Patrick Beverley temporarily lost his defensive assignment Tre Jones midway through the second quarter of a home game against the Spurs because of a screen set by Drew Eubanks.
Fortunately, Karl Anthony-Towns was waiting on the other side of the screen, forcing Jones to stop in his tracks, allowing Beverley to re-enter the play. Beverley and Towns would double-team Jones forcing him to throw the ball out of bounds. Finch's principles led Minnesota to be top of the league in opponent turnovers averaging 17.9 per game in the first 15 outings last season.
Minnesota's ability to create extra possessions allowed them to average 20 points off turnovers per game, 3rd in the league. Unfortunately, when teammates cannot help the on-ball defender, it leads to them giving up a lot of open shots. For example, Anthony Edwards got caught in an Ivica Zubac screen during the 2022 play-in game as he followed Paul George from the left elbow to the three-point line.
Edwards was unable to get help as Towns stayed under the screen. Consequently, George made a wide-open three to end the possession. The overreliance on assistance led opponents to take a wide-open shot 25.6 percent of the time, averaging 22.5 per game in the first 15 outings, 6th in the league. 84 percent of those shots were from behind the arc.
Fortunately, opponents only made 33.6 percent of the wide-open threes on 18.9 attempts, 28th in the league. Consequently, Gobert is the wrong center for this team, as he constantly drops back to prevent the ball handler from blowing past him.
Why Rudy Gobert is an awful fit for the Minnesota Timberwolves' defensive system
For example, Gobert stood below the free throw line as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Darius Bazley set up a screen at the top of the key early in the first quarter of a game on March 6th, 2022. Alexander rejected the screen, but Bazley's hip bumped Royce O'Neale in the back, giving Alexander a small lane of space to maneuver.
Gobert should have come up to seal the space but took an initial step back, removing the possibility of a switch on the play. Consequently, O'Neale had to hustle back to guard Alexander to prevent him from shooting an open mid-range jumper. Alexander saw that both defenders were focused on him, leading to a pass to Bazley, who popped out behind the arc.
Gobert has kept his defensive approach the same after being acquired by the team. For example, Gobert stood between the elbow and baseline to start a possession late in the second quarter vs. Phoenix on November 1st, 2022.
Gobert didn't move up for the entire possession despite Chris Paul's decision to run a pick-and-roll with Bismack Biyombo. Paul went over the screen leading Jordan McLaughlin to get caught on the screen. Consequently, Chris Paul came off the screen and had plenty of wide-open space to shoot a mid-range jumper.
Gobert's desire to stay close to the basket has led to a decline in opponent's turnovers averaging 15.1 per game,15th in the league. The decline in turnovers has led to a dip in points off turnovers, as they are averaging 18.6 per game,12th in the league.
The addition of Gobert has also made the team more prone to allowing wide-open shots. Opponents are taking a wide-open shot 28 percent of the time thru the first 15 games averaging 26 per game, 1st in the league.
85 percent of those shots were from behind the arc. However, opponents are shooting 37.5 percent from behind the arc on 22.1 attempts per game, 19th in the league. In conclusion, Rudy Gobert's reluctance to come up and help makes him the wrong center for the Minnesota Timberwolves defensive principles.