Does Rudy Gobert actually struggle to defend in isolation?

The numbers would say otherwise.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) blocks Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the first quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals at American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 28, 2024. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert continues to be the subject of unwarranted criticism, most recently being called the worst player of all time by Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.  

Gobert has been mostly quiet despite the onslaught of hate, though he did respond to Shaq’s comments on X, formerly Twitter, saying it’s sad he would attack another’s accomplishments.

Much of the criticism of Gobert surrounds the narrative that despite being touted as one of the NBA’s best defensive players as the winner of four Defensive Player of the Year Awards, Gobert can’t guard the top big men in isolation, and he’s a liability guarding perimeter players on switches. 

That drew a lot of attention this postseason when the Wolves used Karl-Anthony Towns as the primary defender on Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, and when Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic hit a game-winner over Gobert in iso. The Mavs later knocked the Wolves out of the playoffs.

But do the numbers back up the prevailing narrative that Gobert can’t guard the iso? 

Not really. 

Gobert tied for 45th of the 354 players who qualified, holding opponents to 0.73 points per possession in isolation in the regular season. Opposing players shot just 36% from the field (38% true shooting percentage) while matched up against Gobert in isolation. Far from bad defense.

(Anthony Edwards, by the way, ranked third in the league, holding opponents to just 0.43 points per possession in iso while also keeping them to just 10% shooting, tied for the best in the league.)

But if that isn't enough to establish that Gobert is far from bad at defending isolation, what makes his solid numbers even more impressive is that Gobert was the eighth-most attacked player in the NBA with 78 shots attempted on him in isolation. Of the 50 most-attacked players in isolation, Gobert held opponents to the fewest points per possession last season.

And let's not forget, Gobert posted the best defensive rating in the entire NBA last season at 104.4 points per 100 possessions, 1.4 points better than the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama.

Now, Gobert's numbers defending isolation did take a dip in the playoffs; he allowed 0.92 points per possession on 43% shooting. Those numbers were in the middle of the pack of qualifying players.

But Gobert allowed fewer points per possession than the Nuggets' Jokic and Aaron Gordon, the New York Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein, who's now with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Mavericks' Daniel Gafford and 24 other players who qualified. It's not like Gobert got beat every trip up the court.

There's no doubt there were some plays last postseason that Gobert would like to have back, but there's no world in which Gobert's play warrants the criticism he's received. Gobert is still an elite defensive player who was the anchor of a Wolves defense that ranked No. 1 in the league last year.