Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert makes a mockery of Nikola Jokic in every which way in Game 3 shellacking

Rudy Gobert torched Nikola Jokic defensively throughout the Minnesota Timberwolves’ blowout win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the first-round series on Thursday night.

Gobert is going through the 13th season of his NBA career, his fourth with the Timberwolves. He continues to shine as one of the best centers in the entire league, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Going into the postseason, Gobert was due for a tough assignment against Jokic. Taking on one of the best offensive centers in the NBA, Gobert knew he had to channel his best defensive form to contain Jokic.

Safe to say that he has been pulling that off, especially in Game 3. In 35 minutes of action, Jokic had 27 points and 15 rebounds but shot 7-of-26 from the field, including 2-of-10 from beyond the arc, and 11-of-11 from the free-throw line.

Rudy Gobert casually attacking Nikola Jokic in Game 3 pic.twitter.com/re3Ev0kX4R https://t.co/MZGZJJXzdW

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 24, 2026

How Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves played against Nuggets

Rudy Gobert proved himself to be a crucial factor in the Timberwolves’ chances of winning this series. Limiting Nikola Jokic’s production throughout Game 3, Minnesota now has the upper hand in the series after securing the win at home.

Denver suffered a major blow when Aaron Gordon couldn’t take part in the game due to injury. As a result, Minnesota took full advantage as they boasted a 25-11 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.

Shot selection, ball movement and inside scoring made the difference in this matchup. The Timberwolves prevailed in all three categories as they made 48% of their total shots, created 31 assists and scored 68 points inside the paint.

Six players scored in double-digits for Minnesota in the win, including Gobert. He finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Ayo Dosunmu led the team with 25 points and nine assists, Jaden McDaniels came next with 20 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Edwards had 17 points and five rebounds, while Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points each.

The Timberwolves will look to take a 3-1 series lead when they host the Nuggets in Game 4. The contest will take place on April 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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