Blame Michael Jordan for Krause widow disgrace; Rudy Gobert trade finally paying off; Lakers need Zach LaVine

From the moment it happened in the summer of 2022, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ acquisition of Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz looked like an all-time terrible trade. But suddenly, the Timberwolves have the NBA’s second-best record, the best in the West, and the best defensive rating at 108 this season. And much of that is Gobert’s impact in the middle, averaging 13.1 PPG, 12.2 RPG, and 2.1 BPG with a 103.7 defensive rating, which harkens back to his Utah Jazz number and is a vast improvement over last season’s career-worst 109.5. The Wolves have become an elite defensive team, going from No. 10 a year ago to No. 1 in the defensive efficiency rankings. At 113.8, the Timberwolves’ defense last season fell just short of the league average (114.8). – Lee Escobedo Read More