Concerns about a lack of effort are seeping into the Timberwolves locker room

Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor and Timberwolves beat writer Dane Moore breakdown what’s going wrong in Minnesota right now. . Check out the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

Rudy Gobert had his quote that went very viral recently, where he said, you know, basically, Chris Finch needs to start benching players who are putting in low effort.

He said, “It’s not an easy position for a coach to take guys out of the game.

If the players don’t have accountability, someone has to have accountability for the players.

The effort, to me, for a team that wants to play for a championship, is unacceptable.”

Who is Rudy Gobert talking about, Dan?

Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.

Ant and Julius, who take a huge load offensively, are the only players on the team who can really score at a high clip.

they have not been defending at a high clip.

I mean, you saw the game, the W- the Wolves lost against Kawhi Leonard.

Kawhi goes off, and it’s not all Ant’s fault, but I thought his effort in the start of that second half, they went at him.

First two possessions of the- of that second half, John Collins scored over him, not a big deal.

Then Kawhi Leonard had an amazing shot, fadeaway jumper, looked like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, not a big deal.

But then the third play in a row, Ant just fell asleep defending Derrick Jones Jr. in the corner.

Barely saw the ball coming, just followed the ball and reacted late.

Derrick Jones Jr. got an, a quality shot opportunity, and I think that just, that stretch, that sequence speaks to what Gobert is talking about, and maybe some public accountability is necessary.

So I don’t have as much of a problem with it.

What the Timberwolves need from Anthony Edwards is him to be locked in off ball.

That would have the most impact positively on the defense.

What the Timberwolves I don’t think need Ant to do, that happens sometimes, he tries to spark ’em, right?

Like, gets a big bucket, has the dunk, and he’s like, “All right, I’m picking up full court here.”

That’s not what they need.

They don’t need, they don’t need that, and that’s a bad use of the finite amount of energy that Ant has, that he’s able to use every night on the defensive side of the floor.

His job is to guard the guys off ball.

It’s, it’s often he’s guarding Derrick Jones Jr., or that version of that player in the corner, and all that guy can do to really score on you is to get an open catch-and-shoot three or punish you on the offensive glass, crashing from the corner, and Ant lets those things happen far too often.

Concerns about a lack of effort are seeping into the Timberwolves locker room

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