It isn’t news that Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t like Rudy Gobert. Both of them have taken shots at one another. Big Diesel has even called the Frenchman the worst player of all time. But who knew the bad blood ran so deep that O’Neal would hit him with an uppercut without any instigation whatsoever. Or to clarify, the Los Angeles Lakers great would rather do so to the Timberwolves center than Donte DiVincenzo. That’s the Inside the NBA experience. The crew reacted to a clip of DiVincenzo claiming he shot his free throws like O’Neal, and the legend didn’t take it so kindly.

“I wish I was playing,” the four-time NBA champion said. “I’d flagrant his a– the next game. I promise you I would. That’s the difference with these softies in this game now. I’m going to see you, DiVincenzo. Put some spaghetti in your face.”

Just to clarify, DiVincenzo had a good outing against the Denver Nuggets. He scored 17 points and made two of his three free throws to record their first win against them this season. However, that one miss was so bad that the sharpshooter compared himself to O’Neal’s only weakness during his playing career. The NBA legend wished he could settle things on the court. But then, when everybody laughed at his joke, he suddenly remembered something.

“Actually, no, I like DiVincenzo,” O’Neal said. “I’m going to take it out on soft a– Rudy Gobert.”

This isn’t going to stop until the end of time. The self-proclaimed President of the Big Man Alliance has felt for the longest time that Gobert doesn’t play like a true big man. In reality, the four-time DPOY isn’t well-reputed for his dominance on the offensive end either. There are also a few more things O’Neal probably doesn’t like about the Timberwolves center, but tonight was a night of celebration for Gobert.

The Timberwolves notched up their third consecutive win, and Gobert’s challenge to guard Nikola Jokic was deemed a success.

Rudy Gobert explains his mindset when guarding Nikola Jokic

Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves were elated with their effort tonight. The team shot 54% from the field while making 14 threes. But to Gobert, his job doesn’t pertain to being an offensive engine. The towering center grabbed 15 rebounds against the Joker, who leads the league in that category.

Jokic still performed up to his standard. It was another near triple-double performance, which included 35 points and 13 rebounds. On the other hand, Gobert doesn’t mind those numbers at all, and he views such matchups in a broader spectrum.

“It’s hard for people to understand, sometimes he might score 40, but if he scores 40 and they don’t score 100 points as a team, that’s a win for us,” Gobert said about the matchup with Jokic. “So it’s really trying to limit him as much as I can, but trying to limit them as a team as much as I can. Sometimes I might not be guarding him directly, but even when I’m not guarding directly, I’m guarding him, he’s watching me, and he’s waiting to see what I’m doing.”

Although the Joker generated nine assists and made 15 of his 26 shots, Gobert disturbed his rhythm. The defensive stalwart played a major role in three of Jokic’s five turnovers. He embraced the physicality of the contest and did an efficient job in pushing the pace. The Timberwolves star also recorded four assists, boosting the home team’s offense.

Gobert has played a critical role in the Timberwolves being one of the best defenses in the NBA this season. The 33-year-old is holding opponents to just 53.6% when shooting inside six feet. It’s an elite mark among centers, ranking even higher than Victor Wembanyama this season.

So, despite the criticism from O’Neal, Gobert remains clear about his role on the Timberwolves.