Why Weren’t Timberwolves on Inside the NBA During West Finals? They Boycotted.

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Inside the NBA, Draymond Green, NBA Playoffs - Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks
Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Among the best things going for sports TV today is TNT’s heralded NBA pre/post game show, ‘Inside the NBA’. With a cast of characters who all jive with one another, it’s must-see TV. And usually, it includes interviews with players from whichever game it revolves around.

But during the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves were noticeably absent from the broadcast, even after game four, which they won. Why? Because, they reportedly (via The Athletic) decided as a team that they would boycott the show due to the disrespect they showed Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns throughout the playoffs.

Minnesota Timberwolves boycotted Inside the NBA

But mostly, they said ‘enough is enough’ after Inside the NBA — normally led by the affable Ernie Johnson and cohorts Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal — decided to pick up known Rudy Gobert and Timberwolves hater, Draymond Green as a guest panelist for the Western Conference Finals.

Edwards was surrounded by a tight-knit team, one with such strong chemistry that it decided as a group that no player would appear on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” postgame show after their victory in Game 4 in Dallas, team sources told The Athletic. The decision was a sign of support for Gobert and Towns, who were the subject of derisive and seemingly personal criticism from panelist and Golden State forward Draymond Green.

Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania (The Athletic)

When Anthony Edwards helped to cap off a Game 7 victory against the Denver Nuggets, he famously instructed Charles Barkley to bring his ass to Minnesota. Inside the NBA was always going to come, but rather than Barkley’s derriere coming to Target Center, the host may have got confused and brought Draymond Green instead; a literal definition of the word.

At the first opportunity Green got to ask a question of Kyrie Irving postgame, he found a way to make the remark about Rudy Gobert. That sort of thought process quickly showed why the decision was destined to fail, and the Minnesota Timberwolves fan base threw fuel on the fire.

Related: Draymond Green is Still Talking About Rudy Gobert

While sitting at the desk during Game 1, fans could be heard chanting “Draymond sucks” so loud that both Barkley and O’Neal made motions showing how uncomfortable they were.

Green has had problems with the Minnesota Timberwolves since the beginning of the season, and he was clearly unable to avoid more of them when appearing on Inside the NBA. It was so bad that following their Game 4 victory against the Dallas Mavericks, Chris Finch’s team decided to boycott the show.

Related: Draymond Green is so Obsessed with Rudy Gobert it’s Borderline Pathetic

When the series returned to Target Center for Game 5 on Thursday night, it was notable that Green was nowhere to be found. Not only had the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to boycott Inside the NBA, but the show itself appeared to reverse course and boycott Green as well.

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