In 2003-04, during an NBA Finals journey that included a six-game dispatch of the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers enjoyed the luxuries of rostering an all-world center who produced league history’s last 25-point, 20-rebound, 75-percent shooting postseason game. It might’ve taken 21 seasons, but during a five-game gentleman’s sweep, Rudy Gobert’s Wolves found the adage to be true: “what goes around comes back around.” Maligned at times, after falling shy of his 12-point regular-season average, the three-time All-Star emerged as an unstoppable force during April 30, 2025’s opening minute, routinely overpowering L.A.’s undersized front. Rim-bending jams became a recurring sight for those in purple-and-gold, as Gobert, accurately described as a “dragon” by his All-Star teammate afterwards, became a flying, fire-breathing two-way force throughout his 27-point (on 12-of-15 shooting), 24-rebound, two-block domination. In between shattering multi-decade-long franchise records and generating career-bests, Gobert, in the greatest irony of all, became the NBA’s first to reach those first-mentioned numbers since — you guessed it — Lakeshow’s 7-foot-1, 325-pound behemoth two decades ago. · May 1, 2025