Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert confronts DPOY snub with mic drop after shutting down Nikola Jokic again

There was a vibe of discontent and anger around the Minnesota Timberwolves when Rudy Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee, didn’t even finish in the top three of the 2026 DPOY voting — finishing in fourth behind winner Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Ausar Thompson. But Gobert knows his caliber as a defender, and in the Timberwolves’ 113-96 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of their 2026 NBA playoffs first-round matchup, his impact could not have been any clearer.

Gobert held Nikola Jokic to one of his worst games in recent memory; the Nuggets star may have finished with 27 points, but he had to shoot a ghastly 7-26 from the field to get to that number. The Timberwolves center made it extremely difficult for the three-time MVP to get to his spots, and Minnesota outscored Denver by 18 in the 36 minutes he spent on the court.

Nevertheless, Gobert is not thinking too much about his DPOY snub, as he is simply focused on helping the Timberwolves in their championship push.

“I think my only main focus is winning a championship. Guarding the best players in the world and proving myself that I’m doing that and helping my team win, that’s the biggest challenge for me. I just try to do that for myself and prove to myself that I can do it. And the only thing I need is the championship,” Gobert told the NBA on Prime crew after the Timberwolves took a 2-1 series lead.

“Winning is the biggest legacy I can have.”

“My only focus is winning a championship.”

Rudy Gobert speaks on not being named a DPOY finalist after Game 3 win over the Nuggets

(via @NBAonPrime) pic.twitter.com/n8wwzyCSIf

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 24, 2026

It’s not a coincidence at all that Gobert’s teams have made it to the playoffs in every season since 2017. Now, his defense during the playoffs has been divisive over the years, but the Timberwolves have surrounded him with elite defensive weapons and they have since been one of the best teams in the NBA.

If Gobert keeps on locking down on defense the way he’s doing against Jokic at present, there should be no surprise at all if the Timberwolves manage to get over the hump.

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