Gobert reflects on the team's struggles and emphasizes accountability after a surprising home defeat.
The Minnesota Timberwolves came into Saturday's game against the Brooklyn Nets riding high after a thrilling Christmas Day battle with the Denver Nuggets.
Despite the overtime loss to Denver, the team looked ready to bounce back at home against a struggling Brooklyn squad, but that's not how things played out as the Nets walked away with a 123-107 victory.
After the game, veteran center Rudy Gobert offered an honest take on what went wrong and what his team needs to understand moving forward.
Gobert's Message to the Team
"Every night is a challenge, no matter what anybody says," Gobert said after the loss. "In this league, every night is going to be a different challenge, and it's on us to find it."
As Gobert mentioned, the Timberwolves cannot afford to take any opponent lightly.
Brooklyn came into the game with a 10-19 record and had been one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference for most of the season, but the Nets have shown real improvement lately with a 7-3 mark in December and they proved it against Minnesota.
How Minnesota Can Bounce Back
The Timberwolves now sit at 20-12 on the season after dropping back-to-back games for the third time this year.
The good news is that this team has shown they can respond to adversity all season long, and they still hold a solid position in the Western Conference standings.
Anthony Edwards did his part against Brooklyn with 28 points on 10-of-22 shooting, but the rest of the team struggled to find their rhythm.
The Timberwolves allowed six Nets players to score in double figures, and Cam Thomas lit them up for 30 points in just 20 minutes after returning from a 20-game absence.
Minnesota will need to tighten up on defense and bring the same intensity they showed during their recent wins over the Knicks, Bucks, and Thunder if they want to get back on track.
Gobert's Season So Far
While his scoring numbers are down a bit compared to last season, Gobert has remained a force on both ends of the court.
He's averaging 11.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 71.4 percent from the field, which is the best mark of his career.
The veteran center has already recorded 13 double-doubles this season and continues to anchor one of the better defensive units in the league.
His leadership and presence in the paint will be key as Minnesota looks to put this rough stretch behind them.
The Timberwolves will look to bounce back on Monday when they travel to Chicago to face the Bulls, the first stop on a four-game road trip.
With the Western Conference race heating up, Gobert's message about staying locked in every night could not have come at a better time.