Timberwolves are making a Rudy Gobert realization Jazz fans have known for years

Esteemed Utah Jazz alum Rudy Gobert still remains among the very best defenders in the NBA. He wasn't named among the finalists for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, but even so, Gobert is still one of the most feared rim protectors in the NBA.

Even if he's approaching his mid-30s, he still covers so much ground that 99% of NBA players know better than to try to score on him when he's covering them. Well, except Luka Doncic. Not only is he the exception to this rule, but he has made it his mission to go one-on-one with the former Jazz star.

During Game 2 of the Lakers' series against Gobert's current team, the Timberwolves, Doncic has singled out Gobert multiple times on defense, and sadly, every time he's gotten that matchup, it's ended in his favor.

Gobert will go down as one of the best defenders of his era and of all-time, but it seems Doncic has taken his lunch every time they go up against each other. While Gobert's struggles against Doncic are public knowledge, something Jazz fans know is that Gobert has infamously struggled against some of the NBA's best offensive players ever.

The ex-Jazzman has been notoriously embarrassed by Stephen Curry back when he played for Utah.

It wasn't much better when Gobert was matched up against James Harden during the Jazz-Rockets playoff series.

Doncic should of course be considered around the same level as Curry and Harden as a one-man offensive powerhouse. So all of this points to Gobert's one fatal flaw: he has no chance against any of the NBA's best scorers to ever grace in the league.

Granted, not many in the NBA can do that, but Gobert gets special attention because he is considered the best on the opposite side of the floor.

The real question will be if this proves to be costly for the Timberwolves like it was for the Jazz back in the 2010s and 2020s. This is Gobert's third time going up against Doncic, so whether he and the Timberwolves can get over that hump could do wonders for his reputation.

This shouldn't be held against Gobert's overall legacy

Yes, it's true that the Curry's, Harden's, and Doncic's of the world see Gobert as food while everyone else in the NBA sees it the other way. However, that speaks to how good they are as scorers, rather than suggesting that Gobert is overrated, as many of his detractors claim.

While Gobert may not have a strong chance of shutting them down, practically no one in the NBA ever has. Besides, Gobert has been able to get his revenge on Doncic when the opportunity has presented itself.