Rudy Gobert Tells ESPN He Hopes to Return vs. Clippers Despite Knee Injury

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert hopes to play again during the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers despite suffering a knee injury in Game 1.

"Trying to get better every day," Gobert told ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon.

Gobert, 24, suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension of his left knee in Saturday's 97-95 Jazz victory. The scene looked scary on the court, as Gobert could not put his full weight on the knee and did not return after going down in the game's first minute.

X-rays and MRI testing revealed no ligament damage or breaks.   

Playoff scheduling makes it more feasible that Gobert could return at some point in the series.

The Jazz and Clippers have 48 hours off between Game 1 and Tuesday's Game 2, and Game 3 isn't until Friday at 10 p.m. ET. Should the series make it to a Game 7, Gobert will have had two full weeks to rest and recover.

"I don't think we're ready to say today, tomorrow, a week, two weeks," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "I think it's literally that wide-open."

The 7-footer has been the Jazz's defensive fulcrum all season, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate who has emerged as one of the NBA's best two-way bigs. He averaged a career-high 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game during the regular season.

Boris Diaw and Jeff Withey will split most of the center minutes with Gobert out. Derrick Favors and Joe Johnson, the hero of Game 1, would see more time as well.

 

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