Before the playoffs began, it didn't seem like Nikola Jokic was going to struggle against Rudy Gobert. After all, the Denver Nuggets superstar appeared to have his rival's number in the regular season. However, five games into their first-round bout versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, it seems Gobert has somewhat figured him out.
One of the many things that has made Joker special is his ability to score in a wide array of ways. He can be pretty proficient in isolation plays. In the regular season, his 1.08 points per possession (PPP) in ISO situations ranked fifth behind only Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Payton Pritchard, and James Harden.
Against the Wolves, though, the three-time MVP has become largely ineffective when he goes ISO. In fact, he has had the fewest PPP in isolation plays among qualified players in this year's playoffs. And Gobert has had a hand in that crucial reversal.
Fewest Points Per Possession On ISOs In The 2025-26 NBA Playoffs (Min. 10 ISO Possessions) :
— Stat Defender (@statdefender) April 29, 2026
1. Nikola Jokic — 0.50
2. Brandon Ingram — 0.58
3. Tyrese Maxey — 0.71
4. Alperen Sengun — 0.78
5. Dillon Brooks — 0.79
5. Paolo Banchero — 0.79… https://t.co/gv4FoWJxQJ pic.twitter.com/Id9vniyFaV
Remember, Gobert is a four-time DPOY
Gobert has caught a lot of flak from detractors over the past years, partly for his occasional inability to defend opposing ball handlers in space. The criticism has sometimes been warranted. To wit, Jokic dominated him in the regular season.
In the Nuggets' four meetings with the Wolves, Serbia's golden boy averaged 38.3 points, and he even had a 56-point triple-double in the team's Christmas Day matchup.
Well, Rudy has been showing in the first round of the playoffs that he's more than just an elite help defender and rim protector. There have been plenty of possessions when he has locked up Jokic throughout the series and has proven why he has won Defensive Player of the Year four times.
In each of Denver's three losses, Jokic shot 40.0 percent or worse from the field. Sure, he was able to average 25.0 points per game in those contests, but Gobert made sure he toiled for those buckets. In contrast, the Nuggets' pair of wins saw their superstar shoot a combined 20-35 from the field.
The onus is on Jokic to figure it out
Despite Minnesota running to a 3-1 lead and giving the eight-time All-Star a hard time, the Nuggets are certainly not out of it yet. In the Nikola Jokic era, they have rallied from such a deficit twice already — both during the 2020 playoffs.
They displayed their resilience in Game 5, responding well to the Wolves' physicality, putting up a gritty defensive effort, and running away with a 125-113 victory. It helped that the supporting cast around Jokic and Jamal Murray finally showed up after three games of inconsistency. And that was despite Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson still being on the shelf.
The Nuggets need just two more wins to complete the comeback. But they have to be wary of a Timberwolves squad that will likely be out for blood.
Gobert will also continue to do his job of hounding Jokic. But if the Nuggets' cornerstone can avoid falling into the trap of trying to beat his nemesis one-on-one and keep the defense guessing with a balanced mix of shot creation and playmaking, the team should be in a good spot. Hopefully, the rest of the Nuggets can come through as well.
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