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The Utah Jazz have found a gold mine in center Rudy Gobert, a 7-foot-1 Goliath who, with time and patience, has become the franchise's vital cog at the offensive end.
Once known as merely a defensive stalwart, Gobert has slowly become more adept on offense, going from a lob-catching target to a lob-catching threat, one who has now unlocked the dynamic for the fifth-seeded team:
“Rudy is our most important offensive player,” general manager Dennis Lindsey told ESPN's Tim MacMahon hours before the Jazz won their 10th game in the last 11 games.
Gobert's teammates agree with Lindsey's sentiment, fully aware of how he unlocks opportunities for the rest of the team, sucking in other defenders as his gravity affects the motion of the game:
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“He's one of the most dynamic rollers in the league, if not the most dynamic roller,” said shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, who posted 25 points and five assists in a 111-102 win over the Hornets. “A lot of it is just making that lob a threat. That goes a long way.”
Point guard Ricky Rubio praised Gobert, who has made his job easy ever since being traded to Utah by way of Minnesota:
“One of the great things about Rudy is he's so unselfish,” said Rubio, who dished out a game-high 13 assists on Monday, assisting Gobert on five dunks and dishing for three open trifectas off pick-and-rolls with the big man. “When he's rolling with force, he doesn't think about scoring himself. He's thinking about making the right play.”
Rudy Gobert leads the league in offensive field goal percentage at a robust 66.9 percent, while ranking fourth in rebounding (12.9) and fourth in blocks per game (2.26), making him a well-versed player who now averages career bests in scoring (15.7), rebounding, and assists (2.0).
