The atmosphere was high in the aisles of the Target Center and in the Wolves locker room after their 45-point victory in Game 6. In the middle of all this, we saw a book with a purple cover placed on the chair of Rudy Gobertwith a title that says a lot about the state of mind of the pivot of the French team.
“The Obstacle is The Way,” or the obstacle is the path. The work of philosopher Ryan Holiday was the perfect metaphor for this Minnesota team which had to face the obstacle represented by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Faced with this adversity, the Wolves and the defender of the year responded.
Criticized after Game 5 and Nikola Jokic’s masterclass, Rudy Gobert came out of Game 6 to a standing ovation from the Target Center. A few minutes after the game, he explained to us how his team ended a three-game losing streak to send the series back to Denver for a Game 7.
Rudy, your back was against the wall before tonight’s match and you came out with a solid match. How do you feel after such a performance?
It feels good ! After losing three games in a row, we no longer had the right to make mistakes and we found our defensive but also offensive identity. It shows that we are capable of facing adversity and it is something that we have forged over the last two seasons. Today was a big test, but we can’t be satisfied with it because we have to prepare for an even tougher test on Sunday.
You take a 9-0 lead in the first three minutes with defensive errors in transition similar to those we saw in your three losses in a row. You take a time out and respond with a 29-5. What was the coach’s message during this timeout?
It immediately allowed us to refocus. Still, it wasn’t all negative. We managed to create some good shots in attack which we unfortunately missed. So the attack was fine, it was just in defense where you simply had to respect the game plan. So the message was quite simple and it was a collective awareness. We all knew what was wrong and after that we really got into the game. We stuck together.
Rudy Gobert: “Defensively, we contested all the shots. I also think that tonight was our best offensive game, but we didn’t do anything incredible.”
What did you do differently compared to the last three matches to regain the intensity of the first two matches?
The major difference with our three defeats is that tonight we were consistent. We didn’t have a slump like in the last matches, we played with this intensity for 48 minutes, well 47 if we take away the start of the match. Defensively, we contested all the shots. I also think that tonight was our best offensive game, but we didn’t do anything incredible. During Game 5, we started well but our lost balls hurt us a lot. Tonight, we just moved the ball. “Ant” (Anthony Edwards) and “KAT” (Karl-Anthony Towns) did a great job playing simple and passing when needed. As soon as there was a two-hander, they immediately found the open player, and behind the ball continued to move. When we play like that, it’s very hard for Denver to defend us because we have a lot of talent. We have athletic players, we have players who can play three-pointers too. So when we play simple and when we defend like that, it immediately becomes much harder for them.
You also had the return of Mike Conley, who missed Game 5 due to injury, that obviously plays a role. And is there also a link between his performance as manager and that of Jaden McDaniels, who had his best offensive game of the series?
Mike, he impacts everyone. His altruism, the way he communicates on the pitch, he also makes very few mistakes in defense, he brings intensity but a certain calm at the same time. What he brings is invaluable. He has a huge influence on “Ant” because he doesn’t always have to have the ball in his hands, but also on the rest of the team including Jaden (McDaniels). He was incredible tonight. He was focused as ever. We all know what he can do defensively, but offensively he made the right decisions systematically. He also made big shots and it’s his work that pays off.
Rudy Gobert: “We try to make Nikola Jokic work as much as possible, we tried to be more physical, to make him think more than in Game 5”
After Nikola Jokic’s performance in Game 5, you changed your strategy against him by sending two-handed holds much more aggressively, as you did in the second game, but also by connecting behind to make the right rotations. Why this change in game plan?
We try to make him work as much as possible, we tried to be more physical, to make him think more than in Game 5. And despite everything, we know that he will still score his points, that he will leave its mark on the meeting but the main goal for us is to make it work, and to make it less effective.
During Game 5, he was on cloud nine. How do you, personally, but also as a team, turn the page after such a performance?
We have to stay lucid, not panic, so we take the good things we have done, we focus on the things we can improve or change, and then we keep in mind that each match is different. Each match has its own story, it’s a new page being written. And the approach is the same after tonight’s match. It was more successful for us but we cannot go to the opposite extreme. So, Game 7 will be a new blank page.
When you came out, you received a standing ovation from the entire room. That must be heartwarming?
Yes of course. I’ve said this before but between last season and this season, the fans have been really supportive of me and I appreciate all the love and support they’re giving me. Every time I’m on the pitch, I try to give 200% and I’ll keep going.
You dominated three games, they dominated three games. It’s a series of extremes if we look at the scores of each match, and here we are at Game 7. How should you approach this meeting so as not to have the momentum swing in their favor on Sunday?
Above all, we will recover well, prepare well. And then, even if it is necessarily a match which has a different stake, we have to keep our approach. We know what our strengths are and how we got here. So we have to be ourselves, give everything, play together, and then have fun because it’s a great opportunity.
Comments collected in Minneapolis.
2024-05-17 05:02:15
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