Gobert Embraces The Underdog Status Against The Lakers

Heading into the first-round series between Minnesota and Los Angeles, it is fair to have the Lakers winning. They have superstars with LeBron James and Luka Doncic. However, it is disingenuous to count out the Timberwolves led by Anthony Edwards. 

Minnesota is motivated ahead of the series because only a game separated their regular season records. The Timberwolves are being counted out, leaving the players with plenty of chips on their shoulders.

Gobert And The Timberwolves Understand They Are Underdogs

The Timberwolves have acknowledged they are underdogs in this series. That is important because they will do their best to prove everyone wrong. 

A motivated Timberwolves team will be tough to play against because they have the talent to keep up. They have lacked energy in multiple stretches of the 2024-25 season, but the best way to solve that issue is through motivation.

With the underdog tag on them, the Timberwolves will become a scrappier team. Coach Chris Finch should be hammering down this point in the week off between the regular season and the Playoffs. 

"I think we are the underdogs. And it's fine. I think we have a lot of guys in this locker room that have been underdogs their whole life," Gobert said after practice on Tuesday. "It's a position that we embrace individually and collectively. It's in a way a place where we have the opportunity to show who we are, over and over."

Gobert Is Aware Of The Narrative Against Him

In the 2024 Playoffs, the Timberwolves got eliminated by a Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks team. During that Western Conference Finals series, Gobert got switched onto Doncic, who hit a clutch shot to propel his team to the NBA Finals.

That has made the rounds again because Luka will be playing against Rudy and the Timberwolves for the second year in a row. However, that has not dissuaded Gobert and the team from believing in themselves.

"I don't mind it. Obviously they've seen that clip of the step back a thousand times. So did I. That's one clip amongst a lot of other defensive possessions," Gobert continued. "I know a lot of people don't like the numbers, but over a long period of time, the numbers speak more than eye test."

The Timberwolves will be a scary matchup for the Lakers. Many Lakers fans will point out the mismatch when their team goes small-ball, but they do not recognize the size advantage that the Timberwolves can also impose on their opponents.

With how Gobert played at the end of the regular season, it will be hard to deny his impact on this matchup. They might be seen as the plucky underdogs, but the Timberwolves will want to impose themselves on this series and win it.