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."
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.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
The problem? He didn't attempt a single free throw.
Sports
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.