Rudy Gobert ‘feeling like a gladiator’ as Timberwolves overwhelm L.A. Clippers 108-80

INGLEWOOD, CALIF. – Ever since Anthony Edwards tried to diagnose what was wrong with the Timberwolves after a loss to the Kings last week — that they couldn’t communicate, that they were letting individual agendas affect the team — the All-Star guard’s teammates have responded in a big way.

The Wolves followed up their blowout of the Lakers on Monday with another trouncing of an L.A. hoops team, this time the Clippers, as center Rudy Gobert led the way in a 108-80 victory in the franchise’s first game at the newly-opened Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.

“It was a back against the wall moment for all of us. One where you look up and the season can go one way or the other,” said Mike Conley, who scored 11 points. “You can hit rock bottom really quickly. We had to put our foot in the ground and say what do we want out of this season? What do we want to be? Who are we going forward?”

What they’ve been is a great defensive team over the last three games, and a unit that was missing for the first quarter of the season has become resurgent. Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels limited future Hall of Famer James Harden to just 1-for-10 shooting, and five total points, on Wednesday.

The Wolves have adopted more of a fly around, aggressive mentality as opposed to a more conservative drop coverage, and even if they are sometimes out of position, that style has suited them well. They forced 23 turnovers and held the Clippers to just 32 points in the first half, the fewest any Wolves team has allowed in a first half since 2015. They led by as many as 41 before coasting to the finish.

“This is the second game in a row where I think we’ve played our most complete basketball on both sides of the ball,” coach Chris Finch said.

Julius Randle led the Wolves with 20 points, 16 in the first quarter, and the Wolves led in fast-break points 32-8.

The coincidental thing for the Wolves since Edwards’ comments is they’ve played great around him while he himself hasn’t put the ball in the hoop up to his standard. He was 3-for-13 against the Lakers on Monday and 5-for-14 Wednesday night. Finch, however, credited Edwards with making the right decisions, especially when facing double teams, to ignite the Wolves’ ball movement.

Timberwolves-Clippers box score

“We knew they were going to crowd him heavy,” Finch said. “He did a really good job of unlocking a lot of ball movement for us. Then when he has the chance to get downhill, he kicked out against the crowds.”

But the engine behind the defensive resurgence has been veteran center Gobert, who had one of his best statistical games in a long time. Gobert had eight points and nine rebounds, but he also had seven assists (just the third time he has had at least that many in a game) and five steals.

Over the past few games, Gobert has stolen or deflected the ball a number of times while denying passes to his man. On Wednesday, he added a little flair to those takeaways. He took it length of the floor multiple times and even dished out a few no-look passes.

Gobert said Edwards’ words last week helped to refocus the team.

“We needed to focus on the basics, which is our defense, and it was great to hear that from him,” Gobert said. “Because when he’s committed, it makes sure that everyone has to be committed doing that.”

Gobert was asked what it felt like playing for the first time at the Clippers new arena, and he mentioned how one of the sections, called “The Wall,” reminded him of the Roman Coliseum. The seats extend up from the floor behind the basket near the visiting team bench. There are no suites or club seating in that part, just a large ascension of seats to the rafters, and the Clippers are trying to fill them with vocal fans.

“Like the movie ‘Gladiator,’ " Gobert said. “One of my favorite movies. So I was feeling like a gladiator.”

His performance earned a thumbs up from his team.

“Defensively he’s doing what he does normally. His offensive game benefits from it,” Conley said. “... He runs the floor, offensive rebounds, dominating the paint — all those things we need him to do at a high level for this team.

Rookie point guard Rob Dillingham missed his second consecutive game because of a right ankle injury. He worked out before the game, but Finch said he was not expecting Dillingham back “anytime soon.”

The Wolves will have four days off after wrapping up this three-game road trip Sunday at Golden State.

Josh Minott earned some extra playing time Wednesday, and not just because of the extended garbage time the Wolves had in the fourth quarter. Minott filled up the stat sheet in the couple minutes he played for Edwards toward the end of the first quarter. Then Finch turned to him to start the second. In the first half, Minott had five points, three assists and three rebounds. He finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“Pretty much in about minute and a half, he did everything you could ask him to do,” Finch said. “So it was great to see that. If he keeps playing like that, it’s gonna be a huge boost for us.”

Former Gophers Cam Christie and Amir Coffey saw action for the Clippers. Coffey made his seventh start of the season and finished with 12 points. Christie came off the bench, played 18 minutes and finished with five.

Two regular season games were added to the Wolves’ slate after other teams qualified for the in-season Emirates Cup.

The Wolves will play host to the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 13, then play at San Antonio on Sunday, Dec. 15.