Rudy Gobert Leaves Game vs. Clippers with Knee Injury

Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert was forced to leave Saturday's playoff game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sprained left knee, the team announced.

Shams Charania of The Vertical reported an MRI revealed a hyperextension and bone bruise, but no structural damage.

Gobert went down on Utah's first offensive play of the game, clutching his knee when Luc Mbah a Moute made contact with Gobert's left leg. 

Any missed time could be devastating for the Jazz and their playoff hopes. The team finished the regular season ranked first in the NBA in points allowed per game, and Gobert is a big part of that success.

While he is known for his defense, the center had the best season of his career on both ends of the court. He averaged a career-high 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. 

The 7'1" French star was a late first-round pick in 2013 as a major project, but he has improved every season to become one of the best young big men in the league.

"I have a lot of ambition," he said in March, per Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune. "I mean, I'm only 24 years old. I'm improving, but I know I can get a lot better."

This is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

Of course, the terrifying prospect for the Jazz is that Gobert misses an extended period of time. Jeff Withey will play a more prominent role with the star out, while Trey Lyles and Boris Diaw should get more minutes in the rotation.