The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night 103-96 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, eliminating the Lakers from the postseason. In a strange turn of events, it was Rudy Gobert, not Anthony Edwards, who led the way for Minnesota, as he put together one of the best games of his career to send Los Angeles home for the offseason.
With the Lakers playing without a true center for much of the night, Gobert feasted in the paint on both ends, as he finished with 27 points and 24 rebounds when all was said and done. It was a much-needed boost for the Timberwolves, because Edwards made just five of his 19 shots from the field, and after the game, the superstar guard made sure to give props to the much-maligned French big man.
Anthony Edwards Labels Rudy Gobert a ‘Dragon’ After Game 5
Ever since being picked up in a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz, Gobert has been the subject to much criticism from fans across the NBA. While the absurd package the Timberwolves gave up for him, which featured Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, and four first-round draft picks, certainly didn’t help, Gobert’s play on the court isn’t particularly flashy, which means his strong play doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves.
Minnesota attempted to make things easier for Gobert by shockingly trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks before the start of the 2024-25 campaign. The results weren’t immediate, as Gobert’s numbers actually dropped this season (12 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game), but everything came together at the perfect time, which allowed the Timberwolves to breeze past the Lakers in the first round.
With the freedom to navigate the paint as he pleased, Gobert was a menace on the glass against the small-ball Lakers, and it resulted in arguably the best game of his tenure with the Timberwolves. Edwards was certainly pleased to see Gobert get the praise he believes he deserves, and he even went as far to label him a “dragon” in the wake of this huge Game 5 victory.
“He was a dragon tonight,” Edwards said of Gobert. “He was the dragon from Game of Thrones tonight.”
Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert Turn Their Attention to Second-Round Matchup
GettyAnthony Edwards (left) and Rudy Gobert
There’s no doubt that taking down the Lakers is a big accomplishment for the Timberwolves, but after making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last year, they have their sights set on bigger goals. Of course, the playoffs are only just getting started, as Minnesota has a lot of work to do if they intend on winning a championship this year.
After taking down L.A. in five games, the Timberwolves have bought themselves some time to rest, as they now get to sit back and wait to see who their second-round opponent will be. Minnesota will play the winner of the Golden State Warriors-Houston Rockets first-round battle, with the Warriors currently leading the series 3-2. Game 6 of that hard-fought clash is scheduled for Friday, May 2 at 9 p.m. ET.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Anthony Edwards Sends Strong Message on Rudy Gobert After Win appeared first on Heavy Sports.