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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
DENVER — Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert will not play in Game 2 of their second round series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday because of personal reasons, Wolves coach Chris Finch said before the game.
Gobert became a father for the first time when he and his partner welcomed a baby boy on Monday morning, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“He’s out,” Finch said. “He will not be here.”
Gobert was not present at shootaround and listed as questionable for the game.
Finch said Gobert was unable to fly back to Denver on Monday in time to rejoin the team for the game.
“There was definitely consideration and we looked at the timing of it all and I think just the timing of his circumstances, plus some weather made it really tough,” Finch said. “And it didn’t feel like he really was going to be able to get here and be prepared to play.”
Finch said that Gobert’s absence will mean more defensive minutes for Kyle Anderson and Karl-Anthony Towns against Denver’s frontline, featuring reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.
“Maybe have to do some different things,” Finch said. “But it certainly all begins and ends with KAT first and foremost.”
Minnesota played Denver on March 19 without Gobert, Towns and Naz Reid, and lost 115-112.
“I would expect a faster Denver tonight, for sure,” Finch said of the Nuggets game plan going against a Gobert-less Wolves team on Monday. “A more aggressive [Jamal] Murray and a more active [Aaron] Gordon on the glass. That’s what I would expect.”
Gobert, a finalist to earn his record-tying fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, had 6 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and a steal in the Timberwolves’ Game 1 win Saturday in the Western Conference semifinals series.
An 11-year veteran who is attempting to advance to the conference finals for the first time in his career, Gobert has averaged 13.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game as third-seeded Minnesota opened the playoffs with five consecutive wins. The Timberwolves have outscored opponents by 74 points in Gobert’s 175 minutes, which ranks as the second-best individual plus-minus in these playoffs.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone passed on his best wishes to Gobert during his pregame remarks.
“Congratulations to him,” Malone said. “I believe a first-time father. So, congrats to Rudy and his partner.”
He did not take any solace in the Wolves big man’s absence, however.
“It doesn’t change anything with our approach,” Malone said. “We’re down 1-0. If our approach is dependent upon Rudy Gobert being here or not, then we’re in trouble. Our approach is we’re down 1-0 and we have to do whatever it takes to go out there and get a win.”
