Rudy Gobert Shines with 35 Points in Timberwolves' Dominant Win Over Nets
Rudy Gobert put on a show Friday night, matching his career high with 35 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves secure a 117-91 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. This win is a significant step for the Timberwolves, putting them on the verge of clinching a top-six finish in the Western Conference, which would allow them to avoid the dreaded play-in games.
Julius Randle also contributed to the Timberwolves' success, adding 21 points to the scoreboard. With this win, Minnesota (48-33) is in a strong position, as they hold the advantage in multi-team tiebreakers among the tightly packed teams vying for playoff positions in the Western Conference.
However, not everything was smooth sailing for the Timberwolves. Star player Anthony Edwards picked up his 18th technical foul of the season, resulting in an automatic suspension for their next game on Sunday. Edwards had a rough night, scoring just nine points and shooting a disappointing 1 for 7 from beyond the arc. This comes after his explosive performance the night before, where he dropped 44 points and hit 7 of 11 from three-point range in a thrilling 141-125 win against Memphis.
On the other side, Keon Johnson led the Nets (26-55) with 20 points, but the team is set to finish with their worst record in eight years. The Nets were missing their entire starting frontcourt, including Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson, and Ziaire Williams, which left them with a lineup featuring rookies Reece Beekman and Drew Timme, with Trendon Watford being the oldest at just 24 years old.
The absence of Claxton, who stands at 6-foot-10, and the lack of motivation for the Nets allowed Gobert to dominate in the paint, where he shot an impressive 13 for 17 from the field. Edwards' technical foul came during the second quarter while he was closely guarding Johnson, and after expressing his frustration to referee Ray Acosta, he was quickly penalized.
Notably, the Timberwolves have a solid record of 26-10 this season when Randle scores 20 or more points. As the Nets prepare to face New York at home on Sunday, the Timberwolves will be hosting Utah, aiming to solidify their playoff position.
