Dallas Mavericks Rising Star Slanders Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year caught some hate from the Mavs' young star

May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves is one of the most hated players in the NBA by fans and players. Maybe it's because they don't think he deserves to have four Defensive Player of the Year awards, but when Draymond Green is on TNT during the Western Conference Finals openly enjoying seeing Gobert struggle, it's eye-opening.

The latest example of Gobert slander comes from Dallas Mavericks up-and-coming star Dereck Lively II and former Maverick Theo Pinson. Lively recently appeared at an EYBL camp and talked with Pinson, who hosts their "Free Game" podcast. One of the campers asked, "Is it true they play whoever makes more money?" This was their response.

Theo Pinson: “They played the Timberwolves there’s 0 reason Rudy Gobert should’ve been on that court.”

Dereck Lively: “Zero”

TP: “But you’re paying him $40M, you better get your a** out there & figure it the f*ck out.”

DL: “And he didn’t”

(via @NikeEYB)pic.twitter.com/V7dxwFcG5H

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 3, 2024

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“[When] they played the Timberwolves [in the Western Conference Finals], there’s 0 reason Rudy Gobert should’ve been on that court," Pinson said, to which Lively agreed, responding "Zero."

“But you’re paying him $40 to $50 million, you better get your a-- out there & figure it the f--- out," Pinson finished. "And he didn't," said Lively wholeheartedly.

Gobert definitely had his struggles in the Conference Finals against Dallas but you wouldn't know it by looking at his stats, besides only having four blocked shots. The Mavs simply figured out how to attack Minnesota no matter who was on the court, whether it was Gobert protecting the paint and allowing for spray-put threes or if they went with more mobility by sticking Karl-Anthony Towns/Naz Reid at center, which got Dallas' ball-handlers downhill more often. Sometimes it's just as much about a gameplan and executing as much as it can be about personnel.

It also helped Gobert's stats in the WCF that the Mavericks wanted him to touch the ball. Any possession that ended with someone other than Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, or Towns shooting the ball was usually a win for the Mavs, especially when it was Gobert. When they were blowing the Wolves out early in Game 5, Gobert led the team in shot attempts in the first quarter with seven, which allowed Dallas to run out to a 35-19 lead by the end of the quarter.

Lively is still coming into his own as an NBA player, but he has a much higher offensive ceiling than Gobert does, though he hopes he can have Gobert's overall defensive impact someday and take home a Defensive Player of the Year or two. It'll be tough with Victor Wembanyama playing just a few hours away, but Lively did show that kind of potential in his rookie season.

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