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NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, who just happens to be the most dominant force in NBA history, certainly knows a good center when he sees one. The 4-time NBA champion dished some compliments for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert after his spirited performance in Game 3 of his team's first-round match-up against the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
The 6th-seeded Jazz blitzed the 3rd-seed Nuggets, 124-87, at the AdventHealth Arena to take a 2-1 series lead. Gobert was a force all game-long, outdueling fellow All-Star center Nikola Jokic to a tune of 24 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes.
“He just played big,” Shaq described Gobert during TNT's post-game show.
Given his stature as one of the best big men to ever do it, Shaquille O'Neal does not give out praises easily, especially to the centers of today's modern game.
Shaq even jokingly called the 7-foot-1 Frenchman “Kareem Abdul-Gobert” after he converted on a difficult left-hook shot at one point in the match.
Unlike most of his fellow 7-footers in today's game, Gobert doesn't venture around past the 3-point arc and try to fire away from deep.
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The Diesel definitely appreciates Gobert's old school approach of dishing out punishment inside the paint — where O'Neal practically made a living during his legendary NBA career. Gobert finished with an efficient 11-of-15 outing from the field, thanks to his array of cl0se-ranged shots.
While Gobert's bread and butter is still his elite rim protection, it's nice to see the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner put up huge numbers on the other side of the ball. He also received a glowing recommendation from another great Jazz center, Mark Eaton.
Got to love it baby! #oldschool Fundamentals never change.
— Mark Eaton (@markeaton7ft4) August 21, 2020
The Jazz, meanwhile, still needs to win two more games to complete the upset and advance to the second round. Rudy Gobert's impact on both ends will certainly be key for Utah to go deep in the postseason.
