In the Timberwolves’ win over the Clippers on Saturday, Rudy Gobert didn’t attempt a field goal until the final quarter (and he only attempted one). Now in his 13th season, and fourth with Minnesota, his 11.0 points and 6.0 shot attempts per game are both his lowest marks since the 2015-16 season.
Now, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year is known more for his work on that side of the court, and Gobert still plays a big role for Minnesota on defense, as evidenced by his on/off splits. The 33-year-old scores the majority of his offensive goals right at the rim, and he has led the league in field goal percentage three times. He is currently leading again and is on pace to chase the single-season record.
Rudy Gobert doesn’t miss often
Having not missed any of the Timberwolves’ first 23 appearances, Gobert has shot 102-139 from the field so far this year. That is good for a figure of 73.4 percent. Although there are 59 games remaining, that percentage would be the second-best in a single season in NBA history.
The current record holder is Mitchell Robinson, who did it with the Knicks in 2019-2020 (still with the team now). Like Gobert, Robinson isn’t going to travel outside the paint to attempt a shot. In his record-setting season, Robinson shot 74.2 percent from the field. According to Basketball Reference, his average distance to the basket on his field goal attempts that season was 13 feet.
Gobert is slightly above that this season with 7 meters. Only two of his 139 field goal attempts this season came from beyond 10 feet. In his 13 years, Gobert has yet to make a 3-point attempt (on 17 attempts).
The Timberwolves perform much better with him on the field
Now, in the last two games, head coach Chris Finch has gone over Gobert at the end of close games with Naz Reid. That shouldn’t devalue the impact he’s had for Minnesota this season, even as his offensive role continues to decline.
The Timberwolves are 11.9 points better per 100 possessions when The Stifle Tower is on the court. Their defensive rating skyrockets when Gobert leaves the field, as Gobert is still one of the game’s best rim defenders.
After a very poor start from the defensive team, Minnesota is now eleventh in the defensive rankings. They ranked in the top 10 in each of Gobert’s first three years with the team (including the first in 2023-2024).
Ultimately, Gobert’s impact on winning is clear, and setting a record for best field goal percentage in a season would be a nice feather in his cap.
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