By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The game-changing defense by Rudy Gobert on Luka Doncic carried the Utah Jazz to a lead of 2.5 games opposite the Dallas Mavericks after the direct collision of the two teams Friday evening.
Doncic, 22, entrenched as the go-to guy for the Mavs, was limited to 0/5 shots down the stretch after connecting a three-pointer for his side’s last lead with 3:12 remaining in the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season contest. The French big man, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, showcased his abilities with one block to go along with elite defense to force demanding takes for the Slovenian superstar.
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“He knows I’m trying to take away his stepback,” he commented on defending Doncic, “Then he’s driving and I know he’s going to try to use my body and then stop, so I’ve got to stay balanced and absorb the contact. Then he’s going to try and get me in the air, so I’ve got to stay down.”
Gobert, 29, logged a 14-point, 17-rebound double-double, and three blocks. He went 6/6 from the field over 34 minutes in the back-and-forth affair held at Vivint Arena. He was held outside a double-double in the last three games.
“It looked really good, it felt really good,” mentioned Donovan Mitchell on his team’s performance, “When you narrow it down, we did what we were supposed to do.”
Mitchell, 25, poured a game-high 33 points behind 11/19 field goals, including 7/12 triples.
“This was a significant win for us,” added head coach Quin Snyder, “I thought, particularly with those two guys, what we saw from them, just the sacrifices that all of our guys made at various times in the game for the greater good.”
Shifting into a five-game road trip featuring stops at Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and Dallas, the Jazz improved to 37-22 and gained a 2.5-game lead over the Mavericks following in fifth place of the Western Conference table.
Photo Credit: Getty Images