1 Play, 10 Thoughts: Taj Gibson Tried To Block A Shot With His Shoe

Known by some of the Wolves players as The Don, Taj Gibson is the beloved veteran in the Minnesota locker room. On Monday night, after stomping the Sacramento Kings at Target Center, many of his teammates laughed over a certain play rarely seen in the Association. Gibson lost his shoe on the offensive end after going to his patented left box post-up where he spins right and finishes with his left. What does Gibson do afterwards? He damn sure doesn’t give up on the play to put his shoe back on. Taj picks up his lost kick, runs down the floor, and starts defending exactly like you’d expect from a Thibs disciple. DO YOUR JOB! But that’s not all. Gibson actually tried to block a shot with his shoe.

We have 10 thoughts about this amusing sequence.

1. As World Wide Wob says, the game really is evolving.

2. These new school coaches just don’t teach this one shoe kind of defense anymore.

3. Measurements and data are collected at each year’s NBA Draft Combine. You have to imagine team’s will start measuring wingspan and standing reach with a shoe in hand.

4. Gibson has clearly been watching old Marc Gasol tape trying to steal little tricks from the 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year.

5. At least Taj didn’t throw his shoe at Nemanja.

6. You know as they say: “If the shoe fits on your hand, use it to play defense.”

7. This is why basketball players wear such big shoes. It’s not because they have big feet. When you need a huge stop on defense, as every elite basketball mind knows, you look to your shoes to provide that extra little something.

8. Excellent tweet, Brady. This is a big time W on Twitter. +5000 Canis Points have been wired to your CH account.

9. You gotta use all your tools.

10. WHAT ARE THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE?!