As the point guard for the famed Detroit Pistons, Chauncey Billups truly understands what tough, hard-hitting defense is all about. Here are his latest comments regarding Minnesota Timberwolves Center and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert comes from a position of familiarity.
Since his Hall of Fame playing days, Billups has moved into the coaching ranks. He is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. But before taking on that role, he was an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020-21, where he met Gobert in the Western Conference Semifinals. The latter was then a member of the Utah Jazz.
Recently appearing on retired Pistons teammate Rasheed Wallace and TylerIAm’s podcast, The Sheed and Tyler ShowBillups questions Gobert’s status as prime minister NBA Portland’s linebacker referenced his experience plotting against Gobert during the playoffs that season, revealing that Los Angeles’ strategy was to constantly harass him.
Chauncey Billups says he has a hard time accepting Rudy Gobert is Defensive Player of the Year when teams are still able to attack him in the playoffs
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Billups has a hard time accepting that Gobert is recognized as the best defender in the conference, even though he’s regularly targeted in the playoffs. He calls the Timberwolves’ big man a “great defender,” but criticizes his lack of versatility, comparing him to his former Detroit teammate Ben Wallace.
Gobert’s lack of versatility can make him “play off the court,” as Billups points out. Additionally, teams can “attack” the 32-year-old in pick-and-roll situations, which further baffles the Blazers coach about the public perception of the 6-foot-4 player. Wallace and Gobert are two of the three four-time winners of the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Yet Billups doesn’t seem to recognize their accomplishments in the same way.
In all fairness, Billups makes valid points. The Clippers ultimately won the 2021 series against the Jazz in six games, so apparently the game plan of going after Gobert worked.
Moreover, the latest case against Gobert has taken place on the world stage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Frenchman has actually been eliminated of the rotation during the round of 16 of the international competition. His defensive efforts were not enough to compensate for his status as an offensive handicap, which forced him to remain on the bench.
To top it all off, Gobert wasn’t even the NBA’s best player in total or blocks per game in 2023-24. Fellow Frenchman and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama won those titles.
Conversely, the Wolves’ five-man team ranked first in defensive win shares (5.8) over the best unit in basketball in defensive rating (109.98).
In a vacuum, Billups could be right. Regardless, Gobert is a damn good defender with a good chance of joining the current Blazers coach in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for his efforts.
