Rudy Gobert #27 speaks to Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 4th round against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center on October 19, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. David Berding / Getty Images / AFP
Rudy Gobert scored 23 points and got 16 rebounds to help the Minnesota Timberwolves win their 115-108 season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Gobert, Timberwolves’ biggest season addition after being acquired in a deal with Utah Jazz, teamed up with Karl-Anthony Towns to lead Minnesota to a big advantage early, then finished strong to lift the Timberwolves to victory.
At the end of the third round, Gobert used a big defensive play, giving Minnesota momentum back after the Timberwolves wasted a 16-point lead and fell behind.
Gobert intercepted a pass from Mike Muscala in the outer ring, then chased it on the other end, hitting a floater at the whistle to force the game into the fourth inning.
A three-point play from Gobert in the opening minutes of the fourth half, followed by a bit of his back throw, helped the Timberwolves regain control.
We’ve got the dub.
Rudy – 23 points / 16 points.
DLo – 20 points / 5 increases / 2 points.
Jaden – 19 points / 6 points / 3 points / 2 billion / 3 points.
Jaylen – 13 points / 3 points.
KAT – 12 points / 6 increases / 7 points.
Ant – 11 points / 8 reb / 7 points.
TP – 11 points. / 3 increase. pic.twitter.com/mRtgq6IY1Y– Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 20, 2022
Minnesota went ahead to Oklahoma City 36-16 in the first half and led 65-52 at the break.
Thunder turned the tide in the third quarter to rise to the top of the game.
Oklahoma City reeled 27-5 to take a six-point lead in the final moments of the third inning.
Thunder heated up the defense, drawing the Timberwolves to 5/20 games in the third half before Gobert shot to end the half.
D’Angelo Russell added 20 points and Jaden McDaniels had 19 for Minnesota.
The towns finished with 12 points. He made seven assists in the first half, then never added to that total.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 32 points on a 12/23 shot. Gilgeous-Alexander hit 10 of his last 15 hits after struggling in the first round.
Josh Giddey added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma City. Tre Mann has 12, Aleksej Pokusevski has 11 and Luguentz Dort has 10.
The Thunder’s Jalen Williams left the game late in the first half and did not return after injuring his right eye while defending a McDaniels pitch.
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