Two seasons ago, the Grizzlies muscled the Timberwolves right out of the playoffs with their ability to dominate in rebounding. Wolves fans might still have nightmares of forward Brandon Clarke grabbing offensive board after offensive board and giving Memphis plenty of second-chance points.
That was one reason the Wolves swung the deal with Utah for Rudy Gobert in July of 2022; the center is one of the best rebounders in the league, and he would provide a steadying presence there. That was certainly true for the Wolves in their 120-95 Game 1 victory over Phoenix on Saturday when they nearly lapped Phoenix 52-28 on the glass.