DENVER — With 3 minutes, 39 seconds to play in the Timberwolves' 112-109 season-ending loss to Denver on Tuesday, Nikola Jokic put up a contested shot in the lane against Karl-Anthony Towns with the Wolves down 97-96.
Jokic missed the shot, and what happened next said everything about what the Timberwolves thought this season was going to be and what it ended up being.
The ball bounced left, where Rudy Gobert was standing. Behind him was Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon. The Wolves brought Gobert in to partner with Towns because of his defensive prowess, but also because he could help resurrect a team that finished 28th in defensive rebounding percentage last season.