The Wolves’ twin towers experiment is off to a rocky start and now KAT is hurt. But, there still aren’t any 7-footers who supply what KAT supplies offensively. His dynamic 3-point shooting, dominant post game, and nifty playmaking skills are the foundation of Minnesota’s potentially potent offense.
He’s one of the best defenders we’ve ever seen and he deserves the benefit of the doubt. The Wolves have plenty of time to right the ship. That said, we could be reaching the end of Gobert’s prime. He’s 30 years old and his game might not age as gracefully as other top-shelf stars.
The Kings have been justifiably lambasted for the Domantas Sabonis trade, but it’s hard to argue with the results right now. And Sabonis is right at the center of their success (literally and figuratively), playmaking from the elbows and out of the post, dominating defenders with his strength in the paint, and inhaling rebounds like a vacuum in a dusty room.
Darius Garland looks perfectly content sharing the spotlight with Donovan Mitchell; if anything, they’ve elevated each other with dynamic shot creation and unselfish playmaking. Garland is a pick-and-roll savant in a pick-and-roll league, as well as one of the NBA’s most prolific pull-up shooters.
Father Time was always going to catch up to Chris Paul eventually. Is this the season? Injuries are an ongoing concern and his numbers right now are not on the level we’ve come to expect. He’s still a certified genius and he, too, deserves the benefit of the doubt, but the 6-foot, 37-year-old guard could fall precipitously by season’s end.