The Utah Jazz suffered a tough 99-94 loss on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, but the team has much to look forward to for the remainder of the season and beyond, thanks to the presence of Rudy Gobert.
Gobert has been inserted into the starting lineup over the past four games due to an ankle injury to Enes Kanter, but the second-year center is starting to prove that he belongs with the first unit even when Kanter returns. In his last four starts, Gobert has averaged 9.8 points, nine rebounds, 1.5 steals and a ridiculous 5.3 blocks, providing a scary defensive presence the team desperately needs.
Against the Thunder, Gobert erased seven shots at the rim, including this impressive stuff on a Serge Ibaka dunk attempt. After helping his team dismantle the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Gobert did admit that he would prefer to be in the starting lineup, from Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune:
“Of course I want more,” the second-year Jazz center said Thursday. “It’s obvious that I want to start, so I just try to get better on the court and help my team.”
In that game, Gobert had 11 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and five blocks.
Can you blame the guy for wanting to stay on the floor as long as he could? Overall, he ranks 13th in the league in plus/minus and 5th in defensive plus/minus.
After losing the close battle against the Thunder, Gobert had the following to say:
Tough one tonight, but we fought like warriors…Lets get some rest and be ready for tomorrow night!
— rudy gobert (@rudygobert15) January 10, 2015
Whether he stays in the starting lineup will be completely up to Quin Snyder, who at times is hard on Gobert. Because the Jazz are obviously going nowhere this year in terms of making the playoffs, it might actually be better if he came off the bench because the less he plays, the better their chances are for a great lottery pick (unfortunately, that’s how the system still currently works).
Whatever the case is for this season, Utah has clearly found the cornerstone of their franchise, at least on the defensive end of the floor.
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Jim Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.