The Los Angeles Lakers begin their NBA playoff journey on Saturday night when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 first round matchup. The series is going to be filled with intriguing battles across the board, and one of them is the center head-to-head with Jaxson Hayes and Rudy Gobert.
Hayes is obviously not the player Gobert is. Gobert has averaged a double-double for the last nine seasons, has won four Defensive Player of the Year awards and has made four All-NBA teams. Hayes is a relative newcomer to meaningful basketball and has been L.A.’s starter out of necessity more than anything else.
But the matchup between the two should still provide some interest, as the chess match between Gobert’s physical dominance in the paint and Hayes’ athleticism could force one or the other off the floor.
The Lakers center was asked about his focus when matching up with Gobert and what he thinks he’ll need to do to be successful.
“Box him out, force overs, get him switched on to guys, set good screens,” Hayes said of the keys to that matchup. “He’s not my main focus. Obviously he’s my main matchup, but my main focus is getting guys like Luka and them open, rebounding, crashing hard, out-competing them. That’s my goal.”
Continuing down the path of focusing on what he’s doing as opposed to Gobert, Hayes laid out his goals for the entire series.
“My expectation is just to impact winning,” Hayes said. “I know the energy I can bring, I know the type of competitiveness I can bring. So my goal is just to impact winning as much as I can.”
Hayes is aware that one of his biggest weaknesses could get highlighted in this series, and that’s defending without fouling.
“Very. Obviously that’s a big thing I struggle with. People tend to watch certain guys when they’re out there, so I know I’m gonna get a lot of foul calls. If I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time, I’m gonna get that call. So I gotta make sure I’m in the right place.”
If Hayes wants to be a regular player in this series, he is going to need to play some of the best basketball he’s ever played. He has the skillset to do it, but it will require discipline and consistency from the young starter.
JJ Redick gives Lakers biggest keys to Timberwolves series
JJ Redick knows the Timberwolves are going to be a very difficult opponent for the Lakers and one of the reasons why is their defense. Minnesota was ranked as one of the best defensive teams in the league, so Los Angeles has their work cut out for them offensively.
The Timberwolves force a lot of turnovers with their ball pressure and length, which is why Redick highlighted limiting turnovers as a huge factor in the series.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
