How will Suns counter defensive presence of Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert in playoffs?

The Phoenix Suns not only swept but dominated one of the Western Conference's best in the Minnesota Timberwolves in their three-game regular-season series.

That doesn't mean Minnesota's Rudy Gobert, one of the NBA's best rim protectors ever, can't disrupt the first-round playoff series against Phoenix as he alters shots with his 7-foot-9 wingspan, athleticism, and impeccable timing.

The West's No. 3 seed Minnesota hosts No. 6 Phoenix for Game 1 on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Gobert finished the regular season as the league's second-best rebounder (12.9 per game) behind Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis, and sixth in blocks (2.1). He helped put Minnesota No. 2 behind Chicago in limiting opponent points scored in the paint per contest. Overall, the Timberwolves were fifth in team blocks and defensive rebounds, and fourth in second chance points allowed.

“I think when the playoffs come, teams are going to try to adjust to what I do,” Gobert said in an interview with The Athletic published Thursday. “I think being able to have these little extra weapons is going to be key for us.”

Gobert put up 9.7 points, seven rebounds, one steal and 1.7 blocks in those three losses to Phoenix this season. Those numbers were inflated a bit from his 21 points and seven boards, two steals and a block in last week's season finale against the Suns, compared to his four-point outings in each of the first two Suns-Timberwolves games.

Numbers aside, Phoenix is well aware of what Gobert's presence means for the T-Wolves' defense.

“He has the paint on lock, so the most actions we can do to keep him away from just protecting their paint at all times,” Devin Booker said at the Suns' practice on Wednesday.

Booker added the Timberwolves know how to build their defense to counter various offensive schemes, though that didn't happen against Phoenix in the regular season.

Against Minnesota, the Suns' averaged their largest lead of 25 points and 15.7 point differential, their best against any opponent. The Suns even held Minnesota superstar Anthony Edwards to 14.3 points in those three games, his season-low average against any West opponent.

Suns coach Frank Vogel said on Tuesday Phoenix and Minnesota have “contrasting styles." Minnesota's frontcourt has offensive firepower with Gobert's fellow 7-foot big and All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Naz Reid as long-range shooting threats "without compromising their spacing." They use their length in the paint to mitigate their opponents’ rim pressure.

Minnesota is tied with the Brooklyn and Houston as the league’s sixth tallest teams (6-feet, 6.04 inches), whereas Suns have the shortest average height (6-feet, 4.9 inches).

Minnesota slightly decreased the Phoenix paint touches from 19 per game to 16.3 in their previous three meetings. That's despite the Suns' averaging 49 drives per game against the Timberwolves compared to the Suns' 45 per contest.

In addition, Minnesota won the rebounding battle in those three games against Phoenix, 120-113, and held Phoenix to an average 8.3 on the offensive glass, another minor dip from the Suns' 10.1 average (finished 19th in offensive rebounding).

“Defensively, he’s obviously really good in the pick-and-roll. He’s a great team defender and he’s great protecting the rim, so try to play away from this strengths," Grayson Allen said about Gobert. "Try to get him to move side to side, get him out on the perimeter a little bit, try to get some switching, whatever it is to get him away from the basket where he’s not as effective.”

Gobert explained the psychology behind blocking and altering shots without getting into foul trouble to ESPN's J.J. Redick on The Old Man and The Three Podcast released on April 12.

“Over the course of my career, I really realize that I could block more shots, but the most important thing for me is to get a stop," Gobert said. "If I’m going to try and block five more shots, but I’m going to give up three more offensive rebounds to my guy, or if I’m going to foul more, it’s not gonna help my team.

"So I gotta find the balance between blocking shots and protecting the paint because that’s puts the fear into the players’ minds.”

Phoenix's key that's helped demolish Minnesota is their significantly higher shooting accuracy from deep, posting a 48.2% clip on 14 made 3s to the Suns' 38% season average of 12.4.

The Suns' shooter-heavy starting lineup helps stretch the defense to help create more gaps to attack the paint and get better looks on shots, especially on 3s.

Suns guard Bradley Beal explained that the Suns call Gobert a “spy” in the paint who swarms the basket and prevents guys from attacking it, causing kick-outs and contested jump shots.

Beal also mentioned how Vogel emphasizes the importance of making Minnesota's perimeter defense work harder making their 6-foot-9 role players in Reid, Kyle Anderson, and Jaden McDaniels match up on the Suns’ top scorers in Booker and Kevin Durant. The attention they demand frees up Beal and Allen, who combined for 15 of the Suns' 25 made 3s in their past two wins over the Timberwolves.

“You can’t let anybody off the hook. That’s probably the biggest observation, especially with a good defensive team in Minnesota," Beal said. "They pack the paint really well, use their size and physicality very well, you don’t get many offensive rebounds, so you have to be really strategic with the way you attack and how you attack, and everybody has to be in that mindset.

"You can’t pass up open shots. You can’t force contested 2s over Rudy. We have to be very smart with what we do and the shots that we generate. I think we did a good job with that last game. Obviously, they’re gonna make adjustments, and we gotta be ready.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns ready to attack Gobert, Timberwolves' No. 1 defense in playoffs