The Minnesota Timberwolves have been right there in all three losses.
However, they’re still 0-3.
They haven’t been able to close out the Dallas Mavericks or finish the job, all while Jason Kidd’s team keeps grinding and taking care of business.
That’s why Skip Bayless believes Chris Finch’s side lacks the mental toughness to thrive at this stage.
In the latest edition of “Undisputed,” he called out Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert for not being mentally strong enough, adding that the Timberwolves need someone else to step up to counter the Mavs’ star duo.
“I question the mental toughness of KAT and Gobert. Somebody has to do something to counteract the 2 best closers in the backcourt.”
— @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/shZM2Psu9r
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 27, 2024
Notably, this isn’t the first time that Towns and Gobert have been criticized for this.
Towns has a bad reputation for being on the softer side, often being dominated by more physical big men.
As for Gobert, he’s been a defensive liability in the playoffs more often than not throughout the course of his career.
The Timberwolves literally had to bench Towns for the final nine minutes of Game 2, and there have been multiple instances when Gobert has also been played off of the floor in the playoffs.
That’s not a recipe for success in the playoffs, and you need your two highest-paid players to step up.
Anthony Edwards bounced back in Game 3, and he made an impact even when his shot wasn’t falling, but he’s 22 years old.
Character isn’t everything to win an NBA championship, but you just cannot win without it either, and the Timberwolves may just not have it.
NEXT:
Paul Pierce Says 1 NBA Playoff Team Is ‘Mentally Broken’
