The Minnesota Timberwolves star thinks too many players on the team have an individual mentality.
Basketball may be a sport where individual performances can make major impacts, but it's still a team sport at the end of the day.
That's something the Minnesota Timberwolves were reminded of after their 116-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday night. Rudy Gobert it's also something that the team needs to take to heart to get better in the future.
Gobert spoke after the game about how he thinks that players on the Timberwolves can default to trying to take over the game by themselves when things get tough rather than work together offensively.
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) shoots the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Chase Center. Robert Edwards-Imagn ImagesTeam Over Individual
"I think it takes five guys to be willing to do it, and I think we are when you look at the big picture, but sometimes when there's frustration we can go back to our old ways, individually," Gobert said (via Timberwolves). "Some of us... are more like one-on-one scorers. I think we've just got to give ourselves completely away to the team. We need the scorers to be aggressive, but we need the flow of the game."
The Timberwolves offense has been effective this season and big individuals have been a major part of that. They have the seventh-best offense when it comes to points per game and star Anthony Edwards is eighth in the league amongst players in points per game while Julius Randle sits within the top 25.
New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Stephen Lew-Imagn ImagesStill, the overall flow of the offense, like Gobert alluded to, gets interupted when players try to strike out on their own.
One-on-One Slows Down Decisions
Gobert's biggest issue with this mentality is the delay in decision making that comes with it. Players default to iso basketball and trying to devise their own way to break through a defense. When all that is going on, the defense just closes in instead, taking away opportunities not just for the individual, but for the whole team.
"Making quicker decisions. If you're going to shoot, pass or drive, that's pretty much what it is. Having less of dribble, dribble, dribble because the defense sets and it makes everything harder. The NBA, today's game, the defense [is going to] shrink," Gobert said.
New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) looks to pass after losing his shoe next to Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during overtime at Smoothie King Center. Matthew Hinton-Imagn ImagesThe Timberwolves have proven that their offense is dynamic and their bench is deep. Now, it's up to them to put all of that into practice when times get tough instead of each player thinking they need to be a hero.
"We have a lot of ways to create advantages that are better, I think, than just playing one-on-one," Gobert said.