The Dallas Mavericks are just one game away from joining the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, which will get underway on June 5.
It may have surprised some how well the Mavs have been against the best defensive team in the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The biggest issue for Minnesota in the series, according to ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, has been the play of Ruby Gobert.
Perkins says that Gobert’s play in the series so far is a liability.
“He’s the first player that we see every single time in the postseason that becomes a defensive liability. He has tarnished the Defensive Player of the Year award,” Perkins said Tuesday on First Take.
.@KendrickPerkins goes OFF on Rudy Gobert 👀
"He's the first player that we see every single time in the postseason that becomes a defensive liability. … He has tarnished the Defensive Player of the Year award." pic.twitter.com/XqOLCtPIqB
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 28, 2024
Both Irving and Doncic went for 33 points in Sunday’s Game 3 victory to push the series to 3-0 against the T-Wolves, and while Perkins blames Gobert, the whole team has failed defensively as Doncic has averaged 32.7 points per game in Dallas’ three victories, and Irving has averaged 27.7
But it’s more disappointing with Gobert because he is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and is supposed to be able to shut down at least one of the Mavs scorers, but he hasn’t been able to do it.
Even if the T-wolves manage to win Tuesday night, it may be too little too late, as no NBA team has ever come back from being down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series.
