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How Rudy Gobert Dominated Game 1 Against The Mavs Without Making A Field Goal

Rudy Gobert is one of the top players in the NBA right now. He may not have a flashy skill set nor some eye-popping scoring numbers, but solely speaking in terms of playing defense while being a glass-eater, it’s safe to say that there are very few players that can match him.

Going into the playoffs, Gobert averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds (career-high), and 2.1 blocks per game this season, while shooting 71.3% from the field (career-high). He’s making his presence felt, as he led the league in rebounds per game this season.

For an All-Star and DPOY-caliber player like he is, Gobert surely does get a ton of unwanted criticism and disrespect from a number of observers including the likes of NBA players themselves.

But last night, during Game 1 of the Jazz’s first round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Gobert proved once again that you don’t necessarily have to score a lot of points to dominate a game.

The Frenchman finished with only five points without a single make from the field, but added 17 rebounds and three blocks to his stat line, and, more importantly made it a nightmare for anyone trying to score on him – in the paint or on the perimeter.

The Mavericks only made 21% (4/19) of their shots in Game 1, when they were contested by Gobert. A stat that speaks volume for his masterful defensive performance.

After the game, when asked about the team’s defensive performance, Gobert agreed that it was really, really good:

“We raised our level in the middle of the first quarter and just made things hard for them. They were very physical and we had to match that. I’m proud of the way we played.”