Rudy Gobert: 'The false narrative that has been painted about me, it's just noise' (2024)

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Today’s show: Immediate Reactions From Wolves-Suns Game 2 w/ @KyleTheige
– Jaden McDaniels steps up on offense in a game KAT+ Ant didn’t have it going
– Conley-Gobert two-man game shows it can be another offensive lever to pull
– The overall suffocating nature of the Wolves’ pic.twitter.com/PaYhTj84d3 – 9:56 AM

NBA Math @NBA_Math
Rudy Gobert jumped past John Johnson, Wali Jones, Gerald Henderson, Larry Johnson, Nick Van Exel, Tobias Harris, Baron Davis, Jeff Teague, Josh Howard, Luc Longley, JJ Redick and Marcus Camby to No. 302. Next up is No. 301 Kiki Vandeweghe. – 9:24 AM

Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Gobert: “I think our level of urgency from the 1st minute of the game is at the highest level. We know that when we turn it up, we’re able to be a unique defensive team. But when we don’t have to turn it up because we’re doing it from 1st minute, it’s a different type of defense” – 11:50 PM

Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Timberwolves setting Drew Eubanks and Jusuf Nurkic up with the VIP concierge every time they decide to iso Gobert tonight. – 10:15 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
The brutal part is the Suns probably got the best games they’re gonna get out of Eric Gordon and Drew Eubanks. Still getting walloped by Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley – 10:05 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Frank Vogel gets hit with a tech after the Suns thought Rudy Gobert got away with an off-arm. Suns down 14 – 10:02 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Wolves playing offense defense with Towns and Gobert to close the *third* quarter — Gobert came in for Towns three times and Towns came in for Gobert twice in the final 3 minutes of the third. – 9:39 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Suns keep trying to attack the “overrated” Rudy Gobert off the dribble. Again, if he’s stuck on the perimeter there are so many places to attack elsewhere. – 9:12 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
When you’re playing against Gobert, the guy boxing him out most likely won’t get the rebound because you have to work to keep him off the boards.
Backside guy or the next closest guy has to get that rebound.
In the meantime, Beal out of bounds on catch for 3 off Booker pass. – 9:10 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
With Phoenix *completely* loaded up on Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns out with foul trouble, the Wolves generated offense through the Conley-Gobert two-man game and through McDaniels attacking the seams.
First half…
Gobert: 5-5 from the field, 12 points
Conley: 4-5 – 8:53 PM

Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
I just need to make sure I saw things correctly:
Did Gobert just throw a blind, on-target wraparound pass around two defenders from the right block to the opposite corner? – 8:53 PM

Trey Kerby @treykerby
Hilarious Gobert game so far. Like he’s showing off because the @espn_macmahon article came out. – 8:49 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Just a simple swing by Beal and it’s KD attacking on the weakside, instead he drives right into Gobert who was stuck on Booker. – 8:37 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Nurkic bucket on one end, forces Gobert to pass out of the post. #Suns first lead of game. Started out down 8-0. – 8:23 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 1Q: MIN 24, PHX 21
Booker: 8 Pts, 3 Reb, 2-7 FG, 0-3 3P, 4-5 FT
Nurkic: 4 Pts, 3 Reb, 2-2 FG
Durant: 2 Pts, 2 Reb, 1-4 FG
Gobert: 8 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Stl, 4-4 FG
Suns with 6 TOs leading to 11 Wolves points – 8:16 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Towns picks up 3rd foul trying to crash the glass.
Landed on fellow UK teammate, Booker. Gobert set to check in.
On that previous offensive possession, Booker has the mismatch with Morris on him, but takes a bad shot.
#Suns down one as Booker 2 FTs. #NBAPlayoffs – 8:14 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
The Suns have 3 supposed All-Stars. Maybe if one of them gets Gobert on them, they should move the ball to let one of the other 2 attack with the DPOY switched out on the perimeter. – 8:10 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker attacks Towns, draws 2nd foul on Towns.
Finch already has Reid out there, Gobert is taking a breather. Towns stays in the game.
Best believe #Suns going back to that on Towns. Down five. #NBAPlayoffs – 8:10 PM

Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Gobert is 4-for-4 from the floor as the Wolves have done a good job finding him inside. Just 3-for-10 outside of that. – 8:06 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Badly needed and-1 from Devin Booker, but the Big 3 are still a combined 2-for-11. Attacking Rudy Gobert in space isn’t working very well. Somehow only a 6-point game – 8:06 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Suns still going at pick-and-roll with Gobert, but Gobert has been up to the challenge so far in guarding the guards.
Then Nurkic scores on him. #Suns down 12-7. – 8:02 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
2 fouls on Kevin Durant after the Suns missed the boxout on Gobert’s FT and gave up an offensive board. He’ll have to be careful the rest of the half – 8:00 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Gobert got the bucket, plus it’s a foul on a critical player so high-value challenge by Finch. As for winning? Gobert kind of looked out of control but I’m also not sure Nurkic was there, seemed to turn his shoulder into him. – 7:58 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Suns will live with Jaden McDaniels taking corner 3s as Edwards passed up a look to make extra pass.
T-Wolves challenging offensive foul called on Gobert as Nurkic took charge. Gobert made the basket. #Suns #Timberwolves #NBAPlayoffs – 7:56 PM

Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Chris Finch is challenging this offensive foul on Rudy Gobert. This one looked close in real time and on replay. – 7:56 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Rudy Gobert going for his second straight “what the hell was that” and-1 of the series. It was called a charge, but Chris Finch is challenging it – 7:56 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Suns start 0-for-3 with 3 TOs, while an Anthony Edwards pull-up 3, a Jaden McDaniels poster attempt over KD and a Gobert poster over Nurk have this crowd fired up. Wolves up 8-0 to start – 7:48 PM

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Why does Rudy Gobert — “the odd guy from France who’s winning a lot of awards” — receive so much scorn from other players? He has his theories. He’s also at peace.
ESPN story: espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 11:23 AM

Gobert has always been “eclectic,” to use two-time teammate Mike Conley’s description. He often wears necklaces and rings that feature crystals and gems that supposedly possess healing powers and provide energy. Gobert had long been intrigued by the idea of a darkness retreat. -via ESPN / April 24, 2024

Some of that scorn has been self-inflicted, such as in March 2020, when Gobert jokingly touched all the microphones and tape recorders during his first socially distanced media availability — only to become the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19 just days later. Then-Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell blamed Gobert for spreading the virus to him. Strangers on social media blamed Gobert for bringing the disease to America. “That’s when also I learned a lot about people,” Gobert said. “How people can throw you under the bus, or how people can be quick to try to bury you when you’re already down.” -via ESPN / April 24, 2024

Gobert said he has pondered the potential reasons over the years, discussing them with members of his inner circle: cultural differences, his quirky personality, his style of play, the stature and money he has earned. “In their eyes, I’m more like the odd guy from France that’s winning a lot of awards, and it can bother people,” Gobert said. “I impact the games in a very unique way. It’s maybe not as cool or not as flashy as some other guys, so it’s sometimes harder for them to respect that. “I just think I’m just mostly misunderstood. I think I trigger a lot of these guys.” -via ESPN / April 24, 2024