Rudy Gobert Has Gotten Into Nikola Jokic's Head, Leaving the Serb Helpless

Pulse Sports Team 18:08 - 24 April 2026

It's no secret that Nikola Jokic is facing significant challenges in the series against Rudy Gobert and his Minnesota Timberwolves. While Denver won the first game thanks to Jokic's improved second-half play, the subsequent two losses for the Nuggets have exposed the team's vulnerabilities when the Serbian center's shot falters.

Last night, Nikola Jokic delivered one of the weakest performances of his career, despite scoring 27 points. His shooting from the field was abysmal, hitting just 7 of 26 attempts, and he also recorded more turnovers (4) than assists (3), which is highly uncharacteristic for him.

Following the game, Jokic himself acknowledged Rudy Gobert's defensive prowess, admitting that Gobert had forced him into extremely low shooting percentages throughout the series. Renowned NBA analysts, including Kevin O'Connor, have also pointed out that the Serbian center hasn't been playing at his usual elite level in the last three matchups.

"Nikola Jokic was catastrophic. There's no other way to describe it. Rudy Gobert has gotten under his skin in the paint. His three-point shot has abandoned him. His passes are inaccurate. He's stopping nothing on defense. Simply put, this has been a terrible series for Jokic so far," O'Connor wrote.

Hopefully, these comments will further motivate Jokic, as the Nuggets have few other options in crucial moments.

The next game between Minnesota and Denver is scheduled for Saturday night into Sunday morning at 3:30 AM CET in Minneapolis. The current series score stands at 2-1 in favor of the "Wolves."