By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Losing to the Chicago Bulls in Target Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves fell half a game behind the Denver Nuggets and one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in a race for homecourt advantage through the Quarterfinals to the Finals of the Western Conference. They also missed an opportunity to clinch a berth in the NBA Playoffs.
Following a home loss on the latest installment of NBA Sundays, Rudy Gobert blasted 30-year-old combo guard Alex Caruso for running into his knee. “A couple of years ago, I had the same play, missed a month because someone went into my knee,” recalled the French big, “I hope they look at this. Because if they do not hold people accountable, I am going to hold them accountable myself.”
A 19-point, 10-rebound double-double was not enough for the team coached by Chris Finch. “I thought they had way too many open threes in the first half,” explained Gobert, “It is on us, as a team. Then I thought we picked it up. We raised our focus and our intensity defensively. We gave ourselves a chance to win the game. It was just an off night for us offensively.”
On the winning end of the European battle, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic chipped in 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. “I have been playing him many times. Drummond is more of a physical big,” Gobert referred to matching up with Vooch and Andre Drummond, “I thought we did a pretty good job.”