Rudy Gobert's honest take on Timberwolves facing Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama back-to-back

The Minnesota Timberwolves do not have the luxury of rest. They had to deal with a talented Denver Nuggets squad in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, now the San Antonio Spurs await them next. One person will likely be more tired than most because he just finished guarding Nikola Jokic and his next task is dealing with Victor Wembanyama. Despite all of this, Rudy Gobert is not backing down from a challenge.

Timberwolves' Gobert likes challenge of dealing with Jokic, Wembanyama back-to-back

It is not at all a secret that the Timberwolves are being given the hardest challenges in the NBA Playoffs. If Coach Chris Finch having to rotate his roster an injured Anthony Edwards is not enough, their path to the Larry O'Brien trophy is filled with generational big men. This means that Rudy Gobert will have to take on a lot of defensive load. The Timberwolves center already did so against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. His next conquest will have to be Spurs NBA MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama.

So, how does Gobert feel with this increased defensive expectation? The Timberwolves big man gave an answer before their series with the Spurs, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

"We faced a contender in the first round. Now we face another contender. As a competitor, what more can we ask for? That’s what we sacrifice for, we work for every single day. That’s what I’ve prepared myself for since I’m 12 years old," Gobert declared.

Wembanyama and Jokic may both be generational talents but they play such different brands of basketball. The Nuggets legend focuses way more on offense while the Spurs superstar is a defense-first type of player. Gobert will have to adjust a lot more because Wembanyama is more mobile and is able to stretch the floor way better than his previous NBA Playoffs matchup.

Legends are only ever great because they were put in the harshest of circumstances before prevailing. Gobert has four Defensive Player of the Year honors and all of those has to be in display to vanquish Wembanyama's Spurs.

More Spurs vs. Timberwolves News:

• Why Rudy Gobert thinks it's a hard task for Timberwolves to beat Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

• Spurs' Victor Wembanyama names one Timberwolves player who has always inspired him

• How Anthony Edwards earned his 'Wolverine' nickname