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Edwin French

Rudy Gobert has been DPOY level this season

The Wolves started shaky, but they’ve climbed back to top-5 in the west — and the constant is still Rudy Gobert anchoring everything on defense. Per Cleaning the Glass on/off + shot-profile tracking, Gobert’s impact this year has been absurd: the defense improves by roughly 14 points per 100 with him on the floor, opponents take way fewer rim attempts when he’s out there, their efficiency drops, and he’s even suppressing free throws — plus his rebounding has ramped up in December. He’s 33, still vacuuming boards, still erasing the paint, still making Minnesota’s entire scheme viable — all while the DPOY conversation about him feels weirdly quiet. Are people just tired of giving him credit? #NBA #Timberwolves #RudyGobert #DPOY #Defense #NBAStats #BasketballTalk

Rudy Gobert has been DPOY level this season
Shawn Martin

Kevin Durant on his historic standing: “I don’t care about Magic or Bird.”

In a league obsessed with all-time rankings, Kevin Durant just brushed the whole thing aside. In a recent interview, KD was blunt when asked about comparisons to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird: “I don’t care about Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. What they did compared to me, I don’t care. They set the standard — I want to reach it, and that’s it. What I’m focused on now is lasting impact, championships, and pushing myself.” Coming from a year-18 superstar, the honesty hits different. KD isn’t chasing nostalgia debates or trying to win Twitter arguments. He’s basically saying: respect the legends, but I’m not living in their shadow. Is this confidence, clarity, or just the mindset you need to survive this long at the top? #NBA #KevinDurant #GOATDebate #BasketballTalk #Legacy #NBADiscussion

Kevin Durant on his historic standing: “I don’t care about Magic or Bird.”
Beth Holland

Jason “White Chocolate” Williams: “LeBron is my GOAT”

Jason Williams gave one of the more interesting pro-player GOAT takes I’ve heard. Favoring LeBron as his all-time GOAT, his argument isn’t “rings” or “aura” — it’s context and defensive rules. J-Will’s point: in Jordan’s era, illegal defense rules meant MJ could often operate with a cleaner isolation picture on the wing. Help was more restricted and usually came from the weak side. In today’s NBA, when LeBron catches on the wing, you’re seeing early help at the nail/elbow, bodies shading the lane, and multiple defenders loading up immediately. Then he addressed the classic criticism: “LeBron doesn’t take the last shot.” J-Will basically says: if you’re drawing two or three defenders, the “right basketball play” is often the pass — and LeBron plays the game that way. So in the GOAT conversation, what do you value more: scoring through a single defender, or making the right play against two or three? #NBA #GOATDebate #LeBronJames #MichaelJordan #JasonWilliams #BasketballTalk #NBADiscussion

Jason “White Chocolate” Williams: “LeBron is my GOAT”