Boos echoed throughout Target Center when the Minnesota Timberwolves went down by 14 points in the third quarter against the Miami Heat Monday night, and Rudy Gobert didn’t like it.
After the game, Gobert told reporters that booing fans should “just stay home.”
“I just don’t appreciate people that come in to boo your team. When you’re a fan, you gotta support your team in the tough or the good moments. There’s no team in NBA history that only had good moments, so if you’re not going to support us in the tough moments, just stay home. I think if you’re going to embrace us in the tough moments, then come and then we’re going to love the support,” Gobert said, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Gobert’s reaction to the boos is a 180 from how Anthony Edwards addressed booing after Minnesota got thumped at home by the Spurs Oct. 25.
“We’re getting booed at home. It’s crazy,” Edwards said. “We gotta find ourselves … It feels crazy. I be wanting to say something, but the fans are not wrong. We look bad. I definitely don’t ever want to get booed again at my home.”
Gobert, in a strange way, was the late-game hero in the 105-101 victory. He didn’t have a shot attempt all game until he was fouled with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter. He sunk both free throws and later hit two more to secure the win – the fourth straight for Minnesota.
Defensively, Gobert was stout as usual and even better when on the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns. According to Dave Harrigan of the Timberwolves Radio Network, the Wolves outscored Miami 46-31 and the Heat shot 32% when Gobert and Towns were on the floor together.
When they weren’t out there at the same time, Miami outscored Minnesota 70-59.
