It seems that the supposed rift between Utah Jazz All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert is now just a thing of the past.
Shortly after the Jazz's best players tested positive for COVID-19 last March, reports surfaced that Mitchell and Gobert's fractured relationship was irreparable.
However, Mitchell appeared to have completely moved on from the fiasco, even offering a surprising update on his relationship with the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune:
“We both are doing a great job on our end to make it easy for each other,” Mitchell said of Gobert following the Jazz's spirited 112-107 scrimmage victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
Rudy Gobert dominated the paint and scored a team-high 20 points in the game. He also sank eight of his 10 trips from the charity stripe. He did most of his damage via completing pick-and-rolls with Mitchell — mirroring the Jazz’s legendary pair of Karl Malone and John Stockton.
Donovan Mitchell, on the other hand, pitched in 14 points. He also dished out four dimes, which interestingly all came at Gobert's expense.
The pair's reconciliation is certainly great news for Utah (41-23, fourth in the West), who had a strong season prior to the hiatus.
Gobert, of course, was initially treated as the NBA's patient zero back in March when the league unprecedentedly called for the suspension of the season.
Although it remains unclear if the Frenchman was indeed the first player to get infected, his brazen attitude towards the severity of the virus certainly put him in hot water.
Gobert is believed to be on track for his third consecutive DPOY citation, following averages of 15.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks in 62 games. Mitchell, meanwhile, has completely embraced being the go-to guy for the Jazz as he normed 24.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steal in 63 games.
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