Both collective and individual, in a life and death match at the end of the crispy play-ins which now launch the final stages in the NBA. Minnesota will play in the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Author of a remarkable outing (21 points, 10 rebounds), but also improbable sequences like this daring and successful dribble in the back to finish near the basket at the very end of the third quarter, the international French (2.16 m, 30 years old) thus validated the audacity of his franchise, which, last summer, had bet big by obtaining his transfer from the Utah Jazz in order to associate him with his interior, Karl-Anthony Towns (28 points and 11 rebounds Friday).
The opposite of what is practiced across the Atlantic, with the “small ball”, extremely profitable in this last match. “We used our size and put pressure on the racquet. Rudy was fantastic. He weighed a lot and imposed his presence”, congratulated Towns, probably delighted to see Anderson send his teammate to the dunk at the end of the second quarter, in a “highlight” which smelled good of reconciliation.
Several to stop Jokic
The Frenchman, whose painful back will remain a point of vigilance for the next few days, was already looking further ahead: “We don’t fit the number 8 tag (from the Western Conference). We don’t look at the rankings. » A theory that will quickly be verified in the first round against the Denver Nuggets and their reigning double MVP pivot, Nikola Jokic (2.11 m).
Nikola Jokic. (R.Chenoy/Usa today sports)
Unlike his years at the Jazz, Gobert will not be alone in trying to contain his imposing 28-year-old opponent, which he has often struggled to do. So far, the record between the two players, over their last ten clashes, is balanced (5 wins each).
But the statistics weigh heavily in favor of the Serb at some 130 kilos: 21.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game against the former Choletais (15 points, 10.9 rebounds), who especially experienced firsthand the collapse of the Jazz against the Nuggets during the 2020 play-offs (3-4 defeat after leading 3-1).
Under his new banner, the native of Saint-Quentin had not existed this season in two confrontations, even remaining silent on February 7 (0 point in 19 minutes). But in four duels, Michael Malone’s men have never had to deal with the Towns-Gobert duo, the first having spent 53 games on the flank. Still new, the coupling, supported by an attractive external sector, filled the second named with optimism: “We believe that by playing the right way, there is no team we can’t beat. » First elements of response in the night Sunday to Monday (4:30 a.m. French time), in Denver, for match 1.
