NBA legend Shaquille ’Neal praised Rudy Gobert for his dominant performance against the Lakers, as the Timberwolves center posted playoff career highs in both points and rebounds.
The Minnesota Timberwolves crushed the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes and advanced to the second round with a 103–96 win in Game 5 in Los Angeles.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert led his team to victory with the performance of his career, recording playoff highs in both points and rebounds with a dominant 27-point, 24-rebound double-double.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, who has frequently criticized Gobert in the past, offered rare praise after the big man’s standout showing—admitting he could hardly believe his own words.
“I never thought I would say these words, but Rudy Gobert is dominating,” Shaq said during Inside the NBA show.
With the Lakers eliminated, the Timberwolves will now face the winner of the Rockets-Warriors series. Golden State currently leads that series 3–2.