Thursday NBA Roundup: Rudy Gobert Putting Upstart Utah Jazz Back on the Map
Rudy Gobert is going places, and he's taking the Utah Jazz with him.
That much has become clear over last few weeks. It's even clearer now following Utah's 109-91 shellacking of the Houston Rockets on Thursday, during which Gobert went supernova, finishing with 19 points, 22 rebounds (12 offensive) and four blocks.
His stat-stuffing began early, with a 10-point, 10-rebound first quarter—an onset display of dominance that has yet to be duplicated this season, per Jazz Nation:
He also did the following to Terrence Jones, because, you know, he can:
Nothing changed in the second quarter. Rebounds remained Gobert's currency. He eviscerated the Rockets on the glass, displacing Donatas Motiejunas and Jones like they were friable figurines, increasing his rebounding total to 18 by halftime.
His board-grabbing rate through the first two quarters was basically incalculable, as NBC Sports' Michael Gallagher suggested:
Gobert nearly put himself in historic company, according to NBA.com:
The 22-year-old wasn't all rebounding and shot-blocking, though.
True to form, he also showed Jones how not to contest a dunk attempt:
It's easy to think that Gobert's surge is temporary, that defenses and offenses will adjust once they've assembled more expansive scouting reports, that this 7'1" Godzilla-thing of a man is more of a makeshift novelty than legitimate cornerstone.
Actually, it's not so easy to think or believe any of those things anymore.
Because they aren't true.
Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are (probably) the better, more well-rounded players at this point, but Gobert is not some additive or afterthought. The Jazz's collective ascension has coincided with him bursting onto the scene, a foregone fact that cannot be chalked up to coincidence.
This team never projected as a good defensive unit. Rookie head coach Quin Snyder's specialty is offense, and the Jazz had neither the proven defenders nor established system to suggest they could excel on the less-glamorous end of the floor.
Such suspicions were initially confirmed. Utah ranked 27th in points allowed per 100 possessions through its first 47 games, posting a 17-30 record while showing more flashes of a formidable offense than competent defense.
But things have changed. The Jazz rank first in defensive efficiency since Feb. 1, with Gobert as their interior fulcrum. They've been even better since he became a permanent member of the starting five on Feb. 20. Not only do they still have the league's stingiest defense, but they've gone 9-2, registering the third-highest net rating.
More than half of those victories have come over playoff teams. In addition to the Rockets, the Jazz have taken down the Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies. Gobert is at the center of it all, averaging a ridiculous 10.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks during that span.
Sure, there are holes in his game; his offense is a work in progress, and he needs to make quicker decisions inside the post. But he's been playing good enough, for long enough, for us to know he isn't going anywhere.
Well, actually, that's not true, either. He is going somewhere—somewhere special. And the Jazz are coming with him.
Around The Association
Washington Remembers How to Win
It's been tough sledding for the Washington Wizards of late. Their offense has been wholly ineffective, they're playing sub.-500 basketball since the All-Star break, John Wall is banged up and they've fallen to fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Fortunately for them, Thursday's matchup with the Grizzlies provided a chance to dismantle another browbeaten squad.
Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol were all out of action for Memphis, paving the way for the Wizards' 107-87 victory. Marcin Gortat and Wall had a field day with the Grizzlies' suddenly soft defense, combining for 43 points.
Wall himself flirted with a triple-double through the first three quarters, going for 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists before sitting for all of the fourth—an outing that no doubt came in response to Memphis' blatant disregard for his feelings, per The Washington Post's Jorge Castillo:
Oh, Wall also finished with two blocks, both of which came on the same play, because obviously:
The Wizards have won two straight contests for the first time in over month and now own a firm three-game cushion over the sixth-place Bucks. Still, they're far from out of the red.
Other opponents won't be as undermanned as Memphis, and the Wizards are still 4-7 since the All-Star break. They can only hope this win, along with Monday's destruction of the Charlotte Hornets, is a turning point.
"Wizards’ magic number down to 11 after this one. Can wrap up a playoff spot in the next two weeks likely.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) March 13, 2015"
As for the Grizzlies themselves, they remain in awkward decline.
Losing to the Wizards while resting four key players is one thing, but this isn't an isolated concern. Memphis is just 6-6 since the trade deadline, with a net rating worse than that of the...Los Angeles Lakers.
Second place in the Western in Conference is still up for grabs, so the Grizzlies have little time to play it safe. They can only hope things improve from here, lest they grit and grind their way out of the No. 2 seed they've held for so long.
Insanity in Indiana
Some team will slow down the Indiana Pacers eventually.
Just not the Bucks.
Thursday night's slugfest was seldom pretty, but the Pacers did what they do best by dictating the flow, controlling the shot clock and forcing the Bucks to play a full 24 seconds of defense—the result of which was a brutal 109-103 overtime victory.
Head coach Frank Vogel described the team's seventh consecutive win best, per its Twitter account:
Depth invariably became the difference-maker. The Bucks received just 10 points from their bench, mitigating the offensive exploits of Michael Carter-Williams (28 points), Ersan Ilyasova (19), Khris Middleton (18) and Zaza Pachulia (16), who dominated in the first half, before Indiana could adjust to life without Roy Hibbert.
Five Pacers players scored in double figures. Rodney Stuckey led the way, continuing his offensive onslaught, tallying 25 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. He's been so good of late, Complex's Russ Bengtson felt compelled to state the obvious:
Those hoping for the Pacers to come back down to earth will just have to keep waiting.
Backed by 52 total points from their bench, the Pacers increased their lead on the Eastern Conference's No. 7 seed. They have the league's best record and net rating since Feb. 1, during which time they've dispatched elite-level contenders like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers (twice).
With one game separating them from lottery territory and Paul George still watching from the sidelines, a postseason appearance isn't yet guaranteed.
And yet, with the way they're playing now, it kind of is.
Kyrie All Over
Kyrie Irving had himself a game in the Cavaliers' 128-125 overtime victory against San Antonio.
It wasn't just his 57 points, a career high. It wasn't even that he set a new franchise record, per NBA.com:
It was his end-of-game heroics.
Just when it looked like LeBron James would fall to the Spurs again, Irving drilled a game-tying three-pointer to end regulation, forcing overtime upon this back-and-forth affair:
Then he really went to work. He scored 11 of the Cavaliers' 18 points in the extra period, single-handedly putting the game out of San Antonio's reach, ruining Kawhi Leonard's 24-point effort, Tony Parker's 31-point gem and Tim Duncan's beautiful everything.
Almost—though not quite—needless to say, the in-flight drinks will be on everyone else Thursday night. And not just because they're probably free anyway.
New York Wins...Seriously
No, this isn't a joke.
Using a 35-point second quarter, the league-worst New York Knicks topped the Lakers, 101-94. They now lead the NBA in accidental victories.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led all scorers with 22 points, and Andrea Bargnani posted a Knicks (co)-high plus-nine, stealing Irving's thunder, per the New York Daily News' Frank Isola:
Enjoy this one, Knicks fans. With a brutal Western Conference road trip underway, this could be the last win for a while.
(Scans roster.)
Or perhaps the season.
Quote of the Night
Rockets head coach Kevin McHale cannot tell a lie.
Per The Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron Falk:
Come now, Kev. Look on the bright side: Corey Brewer outscored Rodney Hood.
*Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise cited.
