Playoff season can also be overreaction season when it comes to the NBA. One loss, and fanbases as well as the media may suggest a multitude of changes. The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently in just their second Western Conference Finals in franchise history. While their season has been wildly successful, they did drop Game 1 to the Dallas Mavericks 108-105. Game 2 takes place on Friday in Minnesota. One NBA veteran who has experienced a lot of success in his career is suggesting an adjustment that the Timberwolves may need to make.
Draymond Green Suggests Shocking Minnesota Starting Lineup Change
Draymond Want More Minutes From Slo-Mo
On his podcast ‘The Draymond Green Show’, Draymond Green mentioned an adjustment that may need to be made due to the Mavericks’ dynamic backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Draymond Green thinks Minnesota should give Kyle Anderson more minutes and maybe bring Rudy Gobert off the bench
(🎥 @TheVolumeSports ) pic.twitter.com/RvSBzRyyBq
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 23, 2024
Kyle Anderson is coming off his most productive game in the postseason. In 17 minutes, the 30-year-old had his first double-digit scoring game with 11 points in 17 minutes. Anderson played just four minutes in Minnesota’s Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Green said Rudy Gobert isn’t completely to blame, but the move may be to bring him off the bench. He mentioned that people who disagree with his take will bring up that Gobert had the best plus/minus for the Timberwolves in Game 1.
The seven-foot-one Gobert didn’t have his most productive game finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in 38 minutes. The team was still a +10 with him on the court. Meaning they were a -13 in the 10 minutes he was on the bench. The only other Timberwolves player to have a positive plus/minus was Mike Conley who was a +1.For the fourth time in his career, Gobert was named Defensive Player of the Year this season. That ties him for the most in league history with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
History Between Green and Gobert
Green and Gobert have had a long, simmering rivalry taking potshots at each other when given the opportunity. A lot of it has been highlighted in this HoopsHype article. The beef was brought to the limelight when the world saw Green put Gobert in a headlock/chokehold on an NBA court early in the 2023-24 season. Green was suspended five games due to the incident. Later in the season, Green had another high-profile incident with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.
Draymond didn’t want to let go of Gobert 😯 pic.twitter.com/11xIZMFYqC
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 15, 2023
Green is surely entitled to his opinion on what Minnesota needs to do. He has won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors. The 34-year-old won Defensive Player of the Year in the 2016-17 season and made eight All-Defensive Teams. Many may laugh his comments off though due to believing he is biased against Gobert. Ultimately Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is extremely unlikely to make a starting lineup change for Game 2 against Dallas.
