After an incredible bounce-back season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, following what was once dubbed one of the worst trades in NBA history, star center Rudy Gobert won his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, which is a remarkable feat, to say the least.
Unfortunately, that award did him no favors during the NBA playoffs, as Gobert was often exposed on the defensive end of the basketball floor during the postseason, as he failed to live up to expectations as arguably the best defensive player in the league.
Gobert was frequently criticized for his play during the postseason, especially against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, when he became a liability on both ends of the basketball floor.
Ultimately, the Timberwolves, favorites coming into the series, were crushed by Luka Doncic and company in five games, ending a very successful season in Minnesota.
Although the season is over for the Timberwolves, the criticism of Gobert continues, with ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins taking shots at the veteran center and claiming he was a better defender during his time in the league, via NBACentral.
“If you go back and watch film, I showed up in big moments,” Perkins said to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson.
With Perkins transitioning from a player to an analyst for ESPN, he makes a living off of hot takes, and this is easily one of his wildest.
Although Perkins was pivotal to the Celtics winning it all in 2008, he is not a better defender than Gobert, as he was limited in what he could do on the basketball court, which makes this take a little laughable.
The criticism of Gobert will likely continue as the offseason progresses, with fans and analysts alike dissecting his performance in the playoffs and questioning his status as one of the premier defenders in the NBA. It remains to be seen how Gobert will respond to this criticism and whether he can bounce back stronger next season.