Rudy Gobert Explains What it Means to Show Impact on Court

The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off one of their biggest wins of the season on Friday night, knocking off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 112-107 at Target Center.

After the game, center Rudy Gobert shared his thoughts on what it means to show impact on the court and why he remains confident in his ability to help Minnesota compete at the highest level.

"I mean, when I'm out there I do everything I can to have the team win. You know, that's my job," Gobert said. "I can't be focused on anyone else's job, you know, my job is true. When I'm out there I make winning plays. I'm fully confident that I can be there for my team with the playoffs, regular season and the finals. Regardless of the level of play, I'm pretty confident."

The four-time Defensive Player of the Year backed up his words with a strong performance against Oklahoma City, hauling in 14 rebounds to help Minnesota control the glass against the league's best team.

While Anthony Edwards stole the spotlight with his clutch go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute, Gobert's presence in the paint was key to the Timberwolves' defensive effort and helped limit the Thunder's second-chance opportunities.

The victory was especially sweet for Minnesota, who lost to Oklahoma City in five games during last spring's Western Conference Finals.

The win improves the Timberwolves to 18-10 on the season, while the Thunder fell to 25-3 and suffered just their third loss of the year.

This was a massive win for the Timberwolves on multiple fronts. Not only did they knock off the team that ended their playoff run last season, but they did so with their head coach Chris Finch getting ejected in the first quarter after arguing with officials over some non-calls.

The team rallied behind each other and found a way to grind out the victory despite shooting struggles in the first half.

Edwards finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in his return from a three-game absence due to foot soreness, hitting the shot that put Minnesota ahead for good. Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid each added 15 points off the bench, while Julius Randle contributed 19 points despite a tough shooting night.

For Gobert, who is averaging 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season, the message is clear: when he's on the floor, he's focused on doing whatever it takes to help the Timberwolves win.

His confidence heading into the stretch run of the regular season and beyond should give Minnesota fans plenty of reason for optimism as the team continues to build chemistry and prove they can compete with the best in the Western Conference.