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Fans have been thrilled about the prospect of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns playing together. However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst is skeptical over what could be of their union when it matters.
The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Gobert in one of the biggest deals this offseason. They sent several players, as well as draft picks, to get the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
The decision to pursue Gobert will undoubtedly improve the team and increase their chances of making a deep run in the playoffs. Their first-round loss against the Memphis Grizzlies last season was devastating, to say the least.
However, Windhorst is unsure how both players will fare playing together in the important moments. He compared the trade to that of the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, where Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were sent to the Nets.
"This is one of those deals that we could discuss it routinely for the next five to eight years, just like we did that Nets-Celtic deal," Windhorst said. "It all depends on how this works.
"Gobert is at least still in his prime, unlike Garnett and Pierce, who were clearly past their primes. But the price is higher. And the other thing is, it's not real clear to me that when the games really, really matter. For the Wolves, the games that matter could be the ones that get them into the playoffs proper, not even the play-in, those are the games that matter.
"But when the chips (are) on the line like they were against Memphis, nobody is 100% sure whether Gobert and Towns can be out there at the same time, whether that's gonna work."
Regardless of how things turn out, the Gobert-Towns duo is a threat. The Timberwolves did not have much paint protection last season, which was one of the reasons they lost to the Grizzlies in the first round.
Rudy Gobert has never made it past the Western Conference semifinals
Although Gobert is an elite rim protector who helped the Utah Jazz reach the playoffs for six consecutive seasons, they never made it past the second round. The "Stifle Tower" is not much of an offensive threat and has been exposed a few times on the defensive end.
However, Gobert could be used differently in Minnesota, especially if they exploit the pick-and-roll action with D'Angelo Russell. His presence will also help Towns spread the flow and increase their chances of getting second-chance buckets.
Despite Gobert's addition, it is difficult to see the Timberwolves advance past the WCS, given the caliber of teams in the conference. Nonetheless, a semifinal appearance will be a step in the right direction for the Timberwolves. They have missed the playoffs 16 times in the last 18 years and were eliminated in the first round in both appearances.
Guess the Lakers players!
