The Golden State Warriors squeezed out a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, which saw Buddy Hield catch fire again after a short slump and Draymond Green do the “Night Night” celebration after putting the finishing touches to seal the game at 114-106. Besides their shooting, the Warriors also leaned on defense to limit Anthony Edwards in the fourth quarter, preventing the Timberwolves from gaining momentum for a comeback. A few days after the game, Green explained what led up to his viral moment, dribbling past Gobert for a dunk to ice the game.
“I blacked out,” Green told Baron Davis during the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show.
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Warriors edge Timberwolves
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) passes the basketball over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center.
© Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
While the Warriors and Timberwolves don't have much of a rivalry, Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert might have something brewing, as both players compete as the defensive anchors for their respective teams.
Moreover, the Warriors forward had called out the Frenchman before, particularly after Gobert had won Defensive Player of the Year four times, one of only three players in NBA history to achieve such a feat: Hall of Famers Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo.
As a defender, Green is more similar to Big Ben, an undersized power forward/center who can lock down the paint because of his strength and physicality.
Meanwhile, Gobert mostly reminds fans of Mount Mutombo, a hulking seven-footer who made a career out of flashy blocks because of an uncanny sense of timing and a nose for the ball.
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Asked about the French big man winning his fourth DPOY award last season, Green paid him some backhanded compliments.
“I think [Gobert] has gotten a lot better defensively now than what he was years ago,” the Warriors forward said, via Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports. “This year was the first time that I thought he actually deserved to win Defensive Player of the Year.”
He had also cited NBA awards voters focusing more on statistics instead of actually watching defensive schemes and plays, but at least he said something good about the guy this time.
After all, their rivalry has already climaxed in Draymond Green putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during a game.