The margin for error keeps shrinking for the Minnesota Timberwolves, even on nights when the opponent should not force a reckoning. What was supposed to be a routine win instead became another reminder that this team’s biggest obstacle is still itself.

That tension finally spilled into public view on Friday night. After a stunning loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, frustration inside the Timberwolves’ locker room turned direct, and accountability arrived without cushioning. It started with the head coach, and it did not stop there. Chris Finch did not hesitate to single out his defensive anchor after the game. Following the loss, the Timberwolves head coach openly criticized Rudy Gobert, calling out the team’s failure at the rim and questioning the impact of his four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

“I mean, I didn’t like our rim protection tonight from him or anyone else,” Finch said. “He had a decent stat line, but the impact overall by him and the others at the rim was just not there.”

That message landed hard because the numbers backed it up. The Pelicans, ranked 23rd in the league in field-goal percentage, carved up Minnesota’s defense by shooting 54 percent from the floor. Even more alarming, a team that normally struggles from deep punished the Timberwolves by knocking down 44 percent of its threes. The breakdown was not isolated. It was systemic.

Just as notably, Gobert did not deflect responsibility inward only. Instead, he turned the spotlight outward, challenging the seriousness and urgency of the entire roster.

“Once again, these games matter,” Gobert said. “These games impact the way we’re gonna finish the season, who we’re gonna face if we’re gonna make the playoffs. The barometer for our success is our defense and our effort. When we have that, we win almost every night. It’s insane how much when we just do that, we win every night.”

He continued by pointing directly at effort as the separator, not scheme or talent.

“It’s crazy that we’re not able to focus on that. When we focus on that, the offense comes easily. Offense is straight effort, and it’s got to be everybody.”

Rudy Gobert’s message exposes a familiar Timberwolves problem

For several seasons, Finch has built a defensive identity that elevated Minnesota into the league’s top tier. However, this season, that identity has been inconsistent, and Friday was another example. The Timberwolves did not lose because of talent. They lost because intensity disappeared when it mattered most.

Among the league’s top ten teams, Minnesota owns the worst record against teams below .500 at 20–8. That number tells the story more clearly than any quote. In late December, they dropped games to the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks. In January, consecutive losses to the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings followed. The pattern has not changed.

Friday’s collapse followed the same script. Early in the third quarter, Minnesota held a commanding 77–59 lead. Instead of tightening the screws, the Timberwolves relaxed. By the fourth quarter, that lead was gone, and the Pelicans were dictating terms.

“Oftentimes, we do build leads, and instead of going for the kill, we relax,” Finch admitted. “You can’t do that in the league anymore. You never could, really.”

That sentiment echoed a familiar voice. After a December loss to Brooklyn, Anthony Edwards bluntly labeled the performance “Timberwolves basketball.” The comment was not meant as praise. It was a warning. Months later, the warning still applies.

The frustration coming from both Finch and Rudy Gobert was not emotional venting. It was a stern message about standards. Until the Timberwolves prove they can bring the same defensive edge against weaker opponents that they show against contenders, nights like Friday will continue to threaten everything they believe they are building.