Draymond criticizes Gobert for not defending Jokic in the playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green never shies away from the opportunity to throw shade at Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.
On the most recent episode of the Warriors star’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” Green seemingly criticized Gobert for not stepping up to protect three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić during the Minnesota’s Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Green noted that despite winning his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award this season, Gobert has often allowed Jokić to be guarded by teammate Karl Anthony Towns.
“How about this? We’re sitting here analyzing (Karl Anthony-Towns) having to stop (Nikola Jokić), who’s a center, and the Defensive Player of the Year is on your team and he’s a center,” Green said in his podcast. Very interesting how the cookie crumbles. Wow, incredible.
“It’s like Marcus Smart won Defensive Player of the Year back then (in 2022), which he did, but they say, ‘Jaylen (Brown), you have to go after Steph (Curry).’ But Marcus Smart is a point guard. Marcus Smart, you won the Defensive Player of the Year award, you have to go protect Steph, right?
“I can’t help but notice that there is a center (Gobert) who won the Defensive Player of the Year award for the fourth time. Tied with figures like the great Hall of Famer Ben Wallace. The great Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo. Ahead of guys like the great David Robinson, the great Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon, the great Dwight Howard. And we have a center, and we’re asking KAT to go protect the center “We have the reigning four-time Defensive Player of the Year on our team. “.
This is not the first time Green has attacked Gobert during his series against Jokić. During a recent appearance on TNT’s Inside The NBA, Green proclaimed that Gobert was “barbecue chicken” in his confrontation with the reigning MVP.
Draymond: “BBQ chicken is in… I’m a truth teller and right now the truth is that Rudy Gobert doesn’t stand a chance against Joker.” pic.twitter.com/SJvNrfTm4n
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 15, 2024
Green and Gobert have had a long-running and highly publicized feud for years, including a surprising moment when the Warriors overtook the Timberwolves. big man in a chokehold during a fight in the first quarter of the Nov. 14 matchup between Golden State and Minnesota.
With the Timberwolves and Nuggets set to meet in a Game 7 showdown on Sunday in Denver, you can count on Green to keep a close eye on Gobert’s performance in Minnesota’s win-or-go-home game.