Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert misses Game 2 in Denver
DENVER (AP) — The Minneosta Timberwolves were without center Rudy Gobert for Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Gobert was back in Minneapolis, where his fiancee gave birth to the couple’s son early Monday.
Any thought of getting him back to Denver in time for the 10 p.m. EDT tipoff was scuttled by high winds in Colorado that disrupted air travel.
“There was definitely consideration ... but the timing of his circumstances plus some weather made it really tough,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “And we didn’t feel like he was going to be able to get here and be prepared to play.”
Gobert played a crucial role in the Wolves’ 106-99 win in Game 1, roaming the paint and denying Aaron Gordon his usual diet of alley-oop dunks.
A rotation of Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid also hounded Nikola Jokic, the MVP favorite who committed an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and missed 14 shots in the opener.