Timberwolves starting center Rudy Gobert offers advice to LaMelo Ball ahead of their 2026-27 season debut.
Timberwolves' LaMelo Ball (1) dribbles vs. Rudy Gobert
Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves' debut of their new tandem, Rudy Gobert offered LaMelo Ball advice. After Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch commended Ball's giddiness as one of the many things the guard brings to the team, Gobert made one request.
On his screens, Gobert is asking Ball to slow down as he adapts to the quick guard's approach, per Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore.
“The main thing I tell him is to just slow down with me. You don't need to go fast because I'm going to give you an advantage,” Gobert said. “I told him to watch some clips of me and Joe Ingles ‘ pick-and-rolls. You don't need to go fast; I'm going to give you an advantage. You can walk.”
Asked Rudy Gobert what he's learned about screening for LaMelo Ball.
"The main thing I tell him is to just slow down with me. You don't need to go fast, because I'm going to give you an advantage. I told him to watch some clips of me and Joe Ingles pick and rolls. You don't need… pic.twitter.com/saVkOtJ5Vr
LaMelo Ball finished with 10 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and one block in a 122-104 win against the New York Knicks on Monday. Rudy Gobert added 2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal in 22 minutes for the Timberwolves.
Chris Finch on LaMelo Ball's addition to Timberwolves
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch appreciates how LaMelo Ball has helped bring positives to his locker room. Finch revealed how it reminds him of All-Star Anthony Edwards' approach.
“He's always in a great mood. Always comes in smiling,” Finch said of Ball. “He and Anthony have a shared quality: they're really hard to stay mad at. And they do some things that you want to get mad at. They have a reflective joy…We referred to ourselves as a moody team in the last couple of years, at times, and it's probably gotten in our way. We've traded moodiness for giddiness. So, we've gotta get to some sort of happy medium.”
The Timberwolves will host the Pistons as they continue their preseason schedule on Wednesday.
Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. Josue got his start as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com. He grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media, where he hosted the Cedric Maxwell podcast.
Ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves' debut of their new tandem, Rudy Gobert offered LaMelo Ball advice. After Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch commended Ball's giddiness as one of the many things the guard brings to the team, Gobert made one request. On his screens, Gobert is asking Ball to slow down as he adapts to the quick guard's approach, per Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore.
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