Nuggets coach pictured with amusing plan to stop Wolves' Gobert originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Hack-A-Gobert?
The No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves avoided elimination at home in Game 4 against the No. 1 Denver Nuggets on Sunday, and it might've come down to the West's top seed failing to follow a plan.
During the game, a Nuggets assistant coach was pictured on the TNT broadcast holding a drawing board with a simple, amusing message: "Foul Gobert at rim."
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Minnesota blew consecutive big leads both in regulation and overtime but held on to win 114-108, with big man Rudy Gobert, who arrived via trade from the Utah Jazz last summer, logging 14 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks and one steal in 39 minutes.
The problem? He didn't attempt a single free throw.
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The Timberwolves shot 17 of 22 from the foul line (77.3%), but the plan to foul Gobert to force him to go to the charity stripe could've been beneficial.
Gobert, 30, is a career 63.9% free throw shooter through 10 seasons -- nine in Utah -- and had inconsistent rates in this first-round series against Denver leading up to Game 4. Here's how he fared until Sunday:
- Game 1: 2 of 4 (50%)
- Game 2: 5 of 6 (83.3%)
- Game 3: 4 of 8 (50%)
Minnesota's win forced a Game 5 on Tuesday at Ball Arena in Colorado, with a win seeing the home team advance to the second round.
If the Nuggets want to put the series to bed early and receive extra rest before a potential matchup with either the No. 4 Phoenix Suns or No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, maybe following the fouling plan on Gobert could do the trick.
