With a third playoff meeting between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets imminent, should Minnesota try to catch Denver off guard by starting rookie Joan Beringer in place of Rudy Gobert? Gobert has had an up-and-down season. In contrast, Beringer has looked like the Wolves’ center of the future when given ample playing time.
While this is a complex argument, allow me to lay out the pros and cons for you.
In the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Nuggets beat Minnesota in five games. In 2024, the Timberwolves exacted revenge in the Western Conference Semifinals, eliminating Denver in seven games. This season, Denver (54-28) won three of the four meetings against Minnesota (49-33), including an overtime classic on Christmas Day in which Nikola Jokić recorded a triple-double of 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists, and Anthony Edwards scored 44 points. In 2026, something has to give.
The Argument for Joan
First, Rudy has been turnover-prone throughout the 2025-26 regular season. In 76 games this year, he committed 106 turnovers. As many fans and pundits have noted, his hands and ball security are major issues. This alone does not bode well in the postseason, where possessions are at a premium.
Second, while interior defense is important to an extent, in today’s NBA, the ability to rotate quickly is hugely undervalued. This is especially true when rotating out to the perimeter. Joan’s youth is evident, and Rudy’s lack of lateral quickness is sorely exposed. In past playoff runs for Minnesota, they have been killed in this area with Rudy on the floor.
On Friday, April 10th, Beringer started in Houston, with Gobert sidelined for rest. In this contest, the Wolves allowed a total of 86 paint points, which is admittedly many more than they’re used to with Rudy on the floor. However, Minnesota still pulled out the win, and Beringer committed ZERO turnovers. Terrence Shannon Jr. was electric on this night. Also, Joan showed flashes of the athleticism that Wolves fans love about Naz Reid.
The Attempt to Slow Jokic
While slowing down Nikola Jokic can be nearly impossible at times, teams are beginning to take a different approach to defending Denver’s superstar. The league is employing such strategies to apply pressure in different ways and force Jokic to be more physical. Moreover, these strategies help Jokic find a rhythm in a game he is largely unaccustomed to. As Nuggets Lead writer Jack Susak notes, “he (Jokic) can become focused on trying to draw fouls and/or complaining to referees when they do not get called.” Enter, Beringer.
Why Athleticism is Vital
When weighing the reasoning behind such a drastic change, pace is one of the biggest variables. In the modern NBA, rotational awareness and spacing ability are also vital. Beringer offers much greater upside across all three categories. Scoring is crucial in today’s day and age, and Joan allows the Wolves to do more of just that.
As Timberwolves beat writer Dane Moore notes in the post above, both Minnesota and its opponents score fewer points when Rudy is on the floor. Whether you view this as a positive or a negative, the team with the most points at the end of the game always wins.
Beringer is also continuing to learn the NBA game, which comes only with time and experience. He isn’t yet a finished, polished product. He still has room to grow in areas such as foul control and rim protection. As Andrew Dukowitz, the beat writer covering Minnesota sports for Zone Coverage, relayed in Joan’s own words:
And when rounding out the reasons why athleticism is more important now than ever, Dane Moore took a minute to address this topic as well. He thinks that Minnesota may be the most athletic team overall in the NBA:
The Argument for Rudy
Rudy Gobert has undoubtedly been a linchpin of Minnesota’s recent success, especially defensively. On Monday, Wolves’ head coach Chris Finch joined Paul Allen on Minnesota’s Sports Radio (KFAN FM 100.3) to discuss Rudy’s potential impact in the upcoming Denver series. Finch said Gobert will need to “wear Jokic down” and “really battle” against him. Given Rudy’s history, this shouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.
Rudy is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and is in rarified air when it comes to defensive impact. While Rudy getting the starting nod is likely, he will have to prove he can still do his job as he has in the past. Moreover, bringing energy, blocking shots, and creating havoc for Denver will be top priorities for the 13th-year Frenchman. He will have one more opportunity to eliminate the team that drafted him in 2013.
Joan is Kevin Garnett Approved
To put a bow on the argument that Beringer should start versus Denver, I take you back no further than regular-season game 82. On the night Kevin Garnett made his triumphant return to Target Center as team ambassador, Joan played his best game in the NBA to date. He notched his first career double-double after earning the start in place of a resting Gobert. He flew all over the place and again was responsible for zero turnovers.
On this night, Beringer also became the youngest player in NBA history to record 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in the same game. The kid’s athleticism is undeniable and could be a major x-factor in the upcoming series against Denver. Team ambassador KG even took notice:
After all, if Kevin Garnett approves of the young Frenchman, who am I to disagree?
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