"Try to bother him enough to give my team a chance to win" - 4x DPOY Rudy Gobert reveals his strategy to guard Nikola Jokic

Rudy Gobert has been one of the best defensive players in the league for the last few years. The Timberwolves star has proved himself as an elite rim protector and an aggressive shot blocker, which has won him four Defensive Player of the Year awards.

However, when it comes to facing the best of the best like Nikola Jokic, even the most battle-trained defenders lose their footing. Fortunately, Gobert has held his own against the Nuggets superstar on many occasions.

Gobert hasn't completely shut down the Joker in any game, but he has limited his effectiveness in certain games, giving his team a window of opportunity. On Thursday, Rudy Gobert appeared as a guest on "The Young Man and the Three" podcast, where he discussed the Timberwolves' winning culture and more.

During one segment, Gobert talked about guarding Jokic and expressed his excitement about matching up against the Nuggets star.

"I just try to make him work as hard as I can," Gobert said. "I try to bother him, try to bother him enough to give my team a chance to win the game. I always embrace those challenges." (Timestamp: 24:31)

"When I wake up and I get to play Jokic, I am always grateful that I get to try to stop one of the best players in the world, and being, you know, doing what I love to do, it's been fun."

Rudy Gobert has a positive record against Nikola Jokic, a feat not many players can have achieved. The Timberwolves' big man has gone up against the Nuggets' superstar 46 times in his career and has 26 of those matchups while losing 20.

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"The way his brain works": Rudy Gobert reveals what makes Nikola Jokic unique

Later on, in "The Young Man and the Three" podcast, Rudy Gobert shed light on the qualities that make the Joker one of the most unique players in the league right now.

"I think the way his brain works, the way he is able to adapt to situations and most of the time make the right play and doing it while tired, doing it while playing a lot of minutes. I think that's what makes him unique," He said. (Timestamp: 25:08)

"Also he is very big, very tall has an amazing touch but I think the way his brain works. It's very unique."

Nikola Jokic has established himself as one of the greatest basketball players to play in the NBA and arguably the greatest international player to play in the league. He is a three-time league MVP and has displayed the ability to take over games single-handedly if left unattended.