Saturday night’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Minnesota Timberwolves had plenty to offer on the scoreboard, but the real buzz came from a quick, very “Heartwarming” moment caught on audio between Ohio NBA star Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. When two former teammates with a complicated past cross paths, people are going to listen. And listen they did.
According to Larry Brown Sports, during a break in the action at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were seen chatting it up near the court. According to the audio that made the rounds, Mitchell was wondering about Gobert’s shot selection. It was a small exchange, but it immediately grabbed attention because of who these two are to each other. They are not just opponents. They are former Utah Jazz cornerstones who spent several seasons trying to make it work together before the franchise finally pulled the plug in 2022.
Gobert, of course, isn’t really known for his scoring as much as for his defensive prowess, but that does not mean he is some offensive zero. The big man is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year who has quietly averaged double digits in scoring for his career while shooting at an incredibly high clip. Mitchell surely knows this. You do not share a locker room and playoff runs with someone without understanding what they bring to the table.
Ohio NBA Star Donovan Mitchell Shows Love to Rudy Gobert
That is what made the moment so interesting. It did not feel hostile, at least based on what could be seen and heard. Instead, it felt like the kind “Nice friendly banter” that only former teammates can have as some word point out via X. The kind where you question decisions not out of disrespect, but because you have been through the wars together and still feel invested in how the other guy plays.
The history matters here. The Jazz traded Gobert to the Timberwolves in July 2022, ending an era in Utah. A couple of months later, they sent Mitchell to Cleveland in September of the same year. The breakup was clean on paper but messy in perception, with years of speculation about chemistry and leadership following both players. Moments like this on-court exchange inevitably reopen those conversations, even if neither player intends to.
On the court, Mitchell had plenty of reasons to talk. The Cavs took down the Timberwolves in a “high-scoring affair,” winning 146-134. Mitchell led the way for Cleveland with 28 points on 9-for-21 shooting from the field, along with 8 assists and 3 rebounds. It was a strong all-around night that showed why Cleveland has fully embraced him as their offensive engine.
A Big Win for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Gobert’s stat line told a different story, but not a bad one. He finished with just 8 points on 4-for-6 shooting, but added 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists. That is classic Gobert. The scoring might not pop, but the defensive impact and presence in the paint were still there. In many ways, that contrast is exactly what defined the Mitchell-Gobert pairing in Utah and what makes any discussion between them feel loaded with subtext.
The win pushed the Cavs to 22-18, and there is a little extra spice coming up next. Ohio will host Mitchell’s former team, the Jazz, on Monday. For a player who has already faced his past plenty, it is another reminder of how quickly storylines stack up in the NBA. For Minnesota, the loss snapped a four-game winning streak and dropped them to 25-14. They will look to bounce back against the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
In the end, the audio-caught exchange was a reminder that NBA drama does not always come from shouting matches or viral arguments. Sometimes it is just two former teammates talking hoops, with years of shared history packed into a few seconds. And for fans, that can be just as compelling as anything that shows up in the box score. In the end, Donovan Mitchell seems happy in Ohio and Rudy Gobert seems happy in Minnesota.
