Rudy Gobert's Back Lands Him on the Questionable List Again

The Minnesota Timberwolves might be without their towering defensive anchor again this weekend. According to Underdog NBA, Rudy Gobert is officially questionable for Saturday's slate thanks to a lingering back issue.

Seeing Gobert on the injury report is starting to feel like a mandatory weekly subscription. The big man recently sat out a 10-game stretch, turning the Minnesota frontcourt rotation into a nightly guessing game for anyone trying to figure out who is actually protecting the rim.

"Underdog NBA tweeted: 'Rudy Gobert (back) questionable Saturday.'"

When he actually suits up, Gobert is doing exactly what you expect. He is vacuuming up 12.3 rebounds per game and anchoring a top-10 defense, even if his scoring output has plummeted to a very modest seven points a night. You do not pay Gobert to shoot, but you do need him to stand upright.

The good news for Minnesota is that they have the ultimate luxury insurance policy. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid just slides into the center spot, keeping the floor spaced and the offense humming while Gobert rests his back.

Having Julius Randle back in the mix has also masked the absence of their starting center. The Timberwolves managed to rip off a four-game winning streak recently just by leaning on their depth and letting Randle bully his way to the basket, helping the team stay afloat with a 6-4 record during Gobert's extended absence.

Oddsmakers do not seem particularly panicked about Gobert's questionable tag. Minnesota has still been laying double-digit points in recent matchups against bottom-tier teams like the San Antonio Spurs, proving the betting market fully trusts the Reid and Randle frontcourt experience.

We will likely get a final word on Gobert after shootaround on Saturday morning. Until then, anyone looking at Timberwolves player props will just have to wait and see if the four-time Defensive Player of the Year is actually going to clock in.