Rudy Gobert becomes easy target after Jokic's historic night

Gobert's defensive prowess was not enough Tuesday night.

May 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts ahead of / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Nikola Jokic had one of the best individual playoff performances of all time in Game 5, but people seem to be questioning whether Rudy Gobert's Defensive Player of the Year award was warranted after covering the three-time MVP for much of the night.

"The big Frenchman is sitting on the podium speaking his native language," Warriors star Draymond Green said after the game. "Oui, oui, oui need to do this. You, you, you need to get a stop. It ain't we. KAT is actually doing a pretty good job on Joker. It's you, my man, that is getting cooked."

Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller spent much of the TNT broadcast focusing on Gobert's defensive performance rather than what Jokic was putting together offensively.

Reggie Miller pushing this narrative that Rudy Gobert is “getting exposed” and not that Nikola Jokic is performing like one of the greatest big men the league has ever seen is broadcasting malpractice.

Nobody on planet earth is slowing down Jokic tonight.

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) May 15, 2024

Jokic was the first player in NBA history to have 40 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and zero turnovers in a game, much less a pivotal playoff game. Criticizing the player guarding Jokic could be considered instinctive, but Jokic was hitting shots that nobody, not even the four-time defensive player of the year, was going to stop.

He really made the meme come true 😂

“Nikola Jokic after Rudy Gobert plays 23.9 seconds of great defense” pic.twitter.com/kQb5DDHdDa

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) May 15, 2024

Despite all of the perceived hate on social media, Gobert still added 18 points and 11 rebounds, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the field. He continues to be one of the most heavily-criticized players in the league and Jokic's performance clearly made him an easy target for some.