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The Utah Jazz are completely different when center Rudy Gobert is in the lineup.
Aside from absolutely thumping the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, the Jazz make the best use of Gobert on the defensive end. And the numbers since he's returned prove that.
The Jazz have owned the NBA's best defense since Gobert has come back from an injury, per StatMuse on Twitter.
The Utah Jazz have the league's best defense since Rudy Gobert's return.
Jazz—103.4 DRtg
Spurs—103.6 DRtg
Heat—103.7 DRtg pic.twitter.com/YxogNcwFKK— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 31, 2018
These numbers are significant. Everyone knows how important Gobert is to the Jazz's defense, but sometimes it's hard to quantify with just the eye test.
In this case, the Jazz have allowed the least number of points per 100 possessions since Gobert came back. That number is nothing to sneeze at.
But, it's also a bit misleading. The Boston Celtics currently hold the league's best defense overall at 100.2 points per 100, per NBA.com. That rating has held throughout much of the season, which is a bigger indicator of overall defensive prowess.
Gobert, however, has only been back for six games, including Tuesday night. Six games is a very small sample size.
Furthermore, 103.4 points per 100 possessions is still not a very good defensive rating. If the Jazz had been at that number for the entire season — provided Gobert was healthy — it would rank sixth in the NBA.
So while Gobert is obviously making a positive impact on the defensive end, and it's the best the Jazz have played in quite some time, the team still needs more time settle in.
But one thing is definitely for sure, Gobert is a game-changer for the Jazz on defense, and a problem for the rest of the league.
