Rudy Gobert wasn’t worried. Two days after Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns’ 3-point shooting hurt the Jazz in Salt Lake City, Gobert was sitting courtside after shootaround on Towns’ court, ready to settle the score.
“I think if we keep doing what we do a little better,” Gobert said, “it’s going to be a different game.”
Right he was.
The Utah Jazz bounced back with a 103-95 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night at Target Center. And give Gobert plenty of credit. The center had 12 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks while helping limit Towns to 14 points.
“I think our level of intensity was better tonight,” Gobert said. “We did a better job. All of us.”
Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic had a game-high 30 points (9-of-18 shooting) Wednesday night. Donovan Mitchell had 26 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. And point guard Mike Conley had 16 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
After missing Monday’s game due to illness, Minnesota forward Andrew Wiggins had 22 points to lead the Wolves.
Monday's Best: Rudy Gobert
The Stifle Tower strikes fear into opponents when he’s under the basket, protecting the rim. But the Timberwolves present a different challenge.
In Monday’s loss, Wolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns drained seven 3-pointers. So the question coming into Wednesday’s rematch was how Gobert and the Jazz would adjust to the stretch-5.
Gobert answered the call and helped limit towns to just 10 field goal attempts all night.
“It’s just what I do every night,” Gobert said when asked about helping slow down Towns. “Whatever challenge is there, I’m always ready to go get it. I’m glad we got the win tonight.”
Top Plays
Significant Stat
14
The Jazz starters carried the scoring load on Wednesday night. Led by six 3-pointers from Bojan Bogdanovic, the starting five combined to go 14-of-26 (53.8 percent) from beyond the arc.
Notable
Danté Exum was drafted as a point guard. But as the 24-year-old Aussie works his way back into the rotation, Exum says it doesn’t matter to him whether he’s used as a guard or a wing.
“Whatever gets me on the court,” Exum said at shootaround on Wednesday morning in Minneapolis. “That’s the thing. The way we run our offense, it’s trying to get in the open court. That’s where I’m going to try to be of use. And playing the wing gives me the opportunity to drive once I get the ball.”
Exum has played in the Jazz’s last two games now, his first games since having surgery last spring to repair a partially torn patellar tendon.
“It was just taking the time to make sure I was feeling right in every aspect,” Exum said of his return to action.
Up Next
The Jazz are coming back home for back-to-back games at Vivint Smart Home Arena. First up: The Golden State Warriors will be in Salt Lake City on Friday night. Tipoff is set for 7:00pm MT.
Utah's next home game is on Friday at 7:00pm MT against the Golden State Warriors.
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