The Minnesota Timberwolves knew that Rudy Gobert would be a difference maker on defense when he joined the team two-plus seasons ago.
Gobert’s statistics on offense don’t jump off the page, but one of his greatest attributes is how he sets screens for Anthony Edwards to ignite the Timberwolves’ scoring.
The duo will get another chance to excel when the Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Minnesota is looking for its fifth win in the past six games. Part of the team’s recent success is the on-court dynamic between Gobert and Edwards, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
“It has really developed over Rudy’s time here,” Finch said. “(There is) trust both ways. Rudy has long been one of the screen setters. … Ant’s willingness now to take that 3 has been huge, and Ant’s willingness to look for Rudy at different levels of the floor, like in the pocket or at the rim, we’ve been able to complete a lot more of that.
“At times, I think we haven’t used Rudy as a screener in pick-and-roll enough,” Finch said.
The Lakers also have room for improvement as they travel north. They have lost seven of their past 10 games but are coming off a 107-98 win over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Los Angeles could face an additional challenge when it returns to the court Friday. LeBron James reportedly is unlikely to play because of foot soreness.
Earlier this week, James missed practice due to personal reasons.
“LeBron is not with the team right now,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.”
James, who turns 40 years old on Dec. 30, is averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists this season. His 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc are down from last season.
Teammates said they all would need to step up if James misses time.
“He’s going to come back, and he’s still going to be the same,” Lakers backup center Christian Koloko said. “He’s going to give everything on the court.
“We’ve just got to do our part and just get better so that when he comes back, he can just look at us and be like, ‘Oh yeah, (they) were actually working,’ when he wasn’t there. But we know he’ll come back and just pick up everything. He’s been in the NBA for a long time.”
Anthony Davis leads the Lakers with 27.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. James is second in scoring, and Austin Reaves ranks third with 16.7 points per contest.
Edwards is averaging 26.4 points per game to lead the Timberwolves. Julius Randle is second with 20.4 points per game, and Naz Reid is averaging 12.7 points.
This is the third of four games between the Timberwolves and Lakers during the regular season.
Los Angeles won the opening game 110-103 on Oct. 22 on its home court behind team highs of 36 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks from Davis. Edwards scored 27 points to pace the Timberwolves.
Minnesota got even in the second matchup with a 109-80 blowout win on Dec. 2 in Minneapolis. Five players scored in double digits for the Timberwolves, led by Randle with 18. D’Angelo Russell scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from long range, to lead the way for Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media