Game 4 of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets saw Aaron Gordon outshine the team’s top-ranked defense. They have to accept the result, according to Rudy Gobert, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

Sunday, Aaron Gordon was dominant, scoring 27 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out six assists while going 11 for 12 for the Nuggets. He converted all three of his free throws as well as both of his 3-point tries.

Gordon’s offensive outburst ought to be accepted, Gobert said. Gordon was scoring 14 points a game in the series before Sunday:

Of Gordon’s shooting performance, Gobert said, “A lot of them were contested so if Gordon turns into Kobe Bryant, we just got to live with that” (Dave McMenamin).

The Timberwolves lost both of their home games, a complete 180 from when they had stunned the Nuggets by winning both of their games on home court. On Sunday they dropped Game 4, 115-107.

Especially in the 5-4 inverted ball-screen plays with Jokic, Gordon is a key member of the Nuggets’ attack. Gordon’s plus-minus scores were plus-18 and plus-9 in the two games that the Nuggets won.

In Game 4, he played his most minutes of the series—41.