(Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
At one point during these NBA playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves were considered the team to beat in the Western Conference, as they were arguably the best all-around team in the conference, especially after taking down the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets in seven games in the second round of the postseason.
One thing that seemed to separate the Timberwolves from their opponents was their play on the defensive end of the basketball floor, as they have scrappy defenders all over the floor, like Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.
Unfortunately, that elite defense hasn’t shown up in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, who have beaten the Timberwolves in three straight games and have forced Minnesota to potential series-clinching Game 4 on Tuesday night in Dallas.
The one player who has gotten a lot of blame for his poor play and bad decision-making defensively is Gobert, who former NBA star Paul Pierce of FOX Sports believes should come off the bench for Minnesota in Game 4 via NBA Central.
“The defensive player of the year is a defensive liability,” Pierce said.
Paul Pierce suggests bringing Rudy Gobert off the bench
“The defensive player of the year is a defensive liability.”
( @undisputed ) pic.twitter.com/uWut5PWUnZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 27, 2024
Obviously, this would be a bold move by head coach Chris Finch, as benching arguably the best defensive player in the league because he’s a liability defensively is a tough decision to make.
However, with the Timberwolves now facing elimination on the road in Game 4, a drastic move like this might be necessary to extend the series and avoid being knocked out of the playoffs and swept by the Mavericks.
The post Paul Pierce Has A Surprising Suggestion For Rudy Gobert appeared first on The Cold Wire.