The Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 119-115 after giving up an 18-point lead on Friday night. This trend has been seen frequently, especially against teams they should beat.
After the game, Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert shared his thoughts. When asked about the team’s inconsistent energy against weaker opponents, Gobert was straightforward.
He noted that the issue comes down to the team’s approach to these games.
“We played well in the first half, for the most part,” Gobert said. “We played hard and had an 18-point lead, but then we came out in the third quarter and seemed to jog back. We didn’t contest shots. There was just a lack of effort, and we’ve seen this many times this year and in previous years since I’ve been here.”
“We often know when it’s going to happen, and when it does, there’s no sense of urgency or accountability. At some point, if the players don’t hold themselves accountable, someone else has to step in and take responsibility for them.”