Anthony Edwards offered praise for his big man, Rudy Gobert, speaking to his growth on the offensive end of the floor.
Rudy Gobert has always been one of the top defensive players in the league, racking up four Defensive Player of the Year awards and making eight All-Defensive teams.
The knock on Gobert has always been on the offensive end, where he has not always been the most sure-handed player in the league.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has seen growth from Gobert on that end this season.
"He's been phenomenal," Edwards said about Gobert's offense following a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"His catching has gotten tremendous. It's crazy. He's catching everything now. He's making the right plays every time we hit him in the pocket. The trust there has gotten a lot better. He talks to you and communicates with you about everything he sees."
In his fourth season with the team, he seems to be reaching peak form.
"You can tell he's been watching film. Somebody like that, I love to play with because he's willing to grow and accept coaching and I accept coaching from each other, the criticism we give each other. I love big Ru," stated Edwards.
Beyond The Individual Numbers
The numbers don't tell the whole story when it comes to the offensive impact of Gobert for the season.
His 11.3 points per game are the lowest of his career since his third season in the league. His 4.1 screen assists per game are down from 4.8 last season. His dunks per game are also down from last season.
His field goal percentage is up to a career high 72%, though he's taking one less shot per game compared to last season and has his lowest field goal attempts since his third season.
Though the numbers might not show Gobert's offensive improvement on an individual level, the team offense has seen a big increase from last season.
Team Offense
The five-man unit of Gobert, Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo is statistically one of the best groups in the league.
They have played the most minutes of any five-man units and, of units that have played at least 100 minutes together, they have the sixth highest net rating at 13.3. They also have the sixth-highest offensive rating at 123.2, showing that Gobert's presence isn't just lowering their defensive rating.
The duo of Gobert and Edwards has a 118.3 offensive rating and a 7.8 net rating to go alongside a pace of 101.23.
Last season, that duo had a 114.9 offensive rating and a 6.6 net rating with a pace of 97.65.
The growing chemistry of Edwards and Gobert, along with the individual growth of both players, has put the Timberwolves in the top half of the West.