BLAME ON GOBERT? 🤔 Nikola Jokic was on FIRE but can we get SOMETHING!? – Stephen A. | First Take
Stephen A. Smith and Tim Legler join First Take to discuss what more 4x Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, could have done against 3x NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
✔️Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV
44 Comments
SAS with the 1.5ppg stat wants to teach you that the DPOY dint do a good job guarding the MVP…the same MVP that eats lefraud for breakfast lunch and dinner
I agree with JJ, no matter how well you defend, there are some players you just can’t stop from scoring. Anyone who has been hooping long enough has seen someone like that in person or was that person themselves.
Can this Stephen A. stop talking once he starts?
I'm from Serbia and of course, huge Jokić fan. His performance in game 5 was real masterpiece, but I must say that this histeric accusing of Rudy Gobert from all possible sides is miserable. These presenters, commentators and analysts should have some class, instead of ripping him apart to pieces.

“Brother, I got 47 … “
SAS is a clown. A well paid clown, but a clown all the same. The dude is nothing more than a talking head who thinks he is bigger than the players and the game. He has never blocked a shot in his life. And he thinks he can critique the DPOY of the entire NBA. What a joke.
Shaq abused the reigning dpoy Dikembe Mutombo in the 2001 NBA finals. There was nothing he could do.
It didn't take away from Mutombo's greatness as a defender. Shaq was just that good.
Gobert is a great defender. Jokic is just that good
This is just how it goes.
Agree with tim, perimter defenders should get the defensive awards when centers are just help defenders
No other strings attached, gobert had a bad defensive game 5. Its not abt his resume.. its abt his assignments.
Ben Simmons dropped 40 on Gobert… I knew his DPOY status was fraudulent then…
Hopefully, he gets the Lakers job and can put these iq to good use ⌛️
Of course he cant admit a foreign white player is simply the most unstoppable force ever
I saw Draymond Green did a better job of defending jokic than Rudy.
Stephen A keeps repeating he had 0 turnovers over and over. Dude he had fkn 40 and 13. Him having 2 or 3 turnovers is the least of Minnesota's problems
The arms of Jokic after games are full of bruises and scratches. They think Twolves is not defending Jokic😂
You are watching all time greatest offence vs current greatest defense, of course offence will win. You wouldn't say gobert is the greatest defender of all time, would you? that is why he cannot defend Jokic, bring me the best defender ever, and Jokic would still cook him because the current NBA rules favor offence over defense.
I can tell a lot of y'all don't watch basketball his post defense is trash look at how he is defending Jokic, stop using the "Nobody can stop jokic." DPOY getting picked on look at him biting on every small move jokic makes, Gobert is a horrible 1on1 defender anyone can see that. He needs to work on his individual defense.
You need to calm down Legs, Olajuwon would've had an impact on Jokic in that third quarter.
They won game 2 easily without gobeart, maybe they should sit him out.
Jokic is a force. Gobert can't do anything about it.
Put wemby on the Wolves and Jokic will be locked up
Wolves need to bench Gobert
AD should have been DPOY Rudy is absolutely overrated
"I want customers to look at that meat and go, "WOW" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Legler need to shut up jokic ight he ain't no bill Russell they would put that man in Alcatraz I'm talking crazy lockdown
This is why main stream sports media is so bad. Imagine listening to some tell you how a player has been defending someone to a stand still and even had a game you could argue they locked them up but the moment the MVP goes off it’s talking about how bad he is.
They need a Dennis Ridman to check Joker.. You can't challenge the skills of the Joker but mentally you distract him..
AD was giving jokic problems…
Gobert allowed Jokic to back him down & get to his spots
Regardless of him being sensitive, JJ is correct. You’re talking about Malone game planning switches forcing Rudy up to the 3pt line and Jokic is running the option sets. By the time Rudy in the post, he’s out of energy to guard. Not only that, Jokic’s half court offense has become way faster. Defense can’t set if Jokic takes it to the cup. He caught so many of the Wolves with the post spins and stop n go moves. Everyone on the Wolves need to defend this offense because they don’t have to go small if defense is now slacking, which is a team and scheme issue. Pundits, I appreciate the passion, but turning on the games and watching them are mutually exclusive. If you watch the game, Jokic and the Wolves lack of defensive adjustments lost them the game. It’s not just Rudy.
Gobert's to blame not because of his defense but because of his play on the OFFENSIVE END. Dude has no moves. He can't score on his own. He's just standing there on offense and it takes up space.
I agree with JJ. SAS just want to scapegoat Rudy. Stop it already.
Gobert, AD, Bam, Wemby(right now) got cooked by the joker. He can drop 30+ on them anytime. No defensive candidate can stop the joker. Give joker his flower! don't bash others just because they can't do it.
Did any see Game 2 without Gobert? Wolves are better defensively without him
If Jokic was black, SAS would just say he's unguardable
Jokic slapping that dude around straight doggin Gobert….. Looks like the Olajuwon, David Robinson match up where Dream was just slapping David Robinson around & before that game D.R. just received a MVP award. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Steve A Smith almost died at 4:02 😂😂😂
People are hypocrites. If it was Jordan. U could be a 10x Dpy and they’d be like it’s Jordan.
SAS take is straight up trash
Tim Duncan Anthony Davis have ZERO DPOY…repeat ZERO….Rudy Gobert 4 times DPOY… And they wounder why ppl say Rudy overrated
A joke at Defense like his name. He gets blocked a lot.
Steven a does not know basketball he jus talks to hear his voice
I said this after game 2. I think Wolves are better off without Gobert.
He is such a liability on offense and he is not doing anything against JOKER.. bench him and see what happens.
Anthony Edwards really dodging bullets form the media after being deemed the next MJ. Man gets doubled and forgets how to play basketball.
I am a Jokic fan but the only way to stop him is to let him pass the ball and let Gordon be a jump shooter. I could risk Gordon take a jump shot than getting a lob pass from Joker. No post up plays and let the other player aside from Joker shoot the ball. It's a tough situation but it's a risk I will take.