It took only one game into their Western Conference first round with the
Clippers to know that the Utah Jazz are living right.
Actually, less than a minute into Game 1, that wasn’t the case. Center Rudy
Gobert, one of the leading contenders for Defensive Player of the Year, suffered
a knee injury and was done for the night after being helped off the floor.
Initially diagnosed as a sprain, Gobert underwent an MRI and the result was
indeed a relief: It was ruled a hyperextension. There is no structural damage,
according to various reports. His status for Game 2 Tuesday is unclear.
Then the Jazz used a buzzer-beater from Joe Johnson to win 97-95, take a 1-0
series lead and steal home court advantage from the Clippers.
As much as the win will certainly help the Jazz in this series, they apparently
will see Gobert again in this series, given the lack of severity to his injury.
His contribution will be crucial; Gobert provides much-needed rim protection and
his offensive game has steadily improved this season.
He is a vivid example of Utah’s talent development blueprint, a gangly 7-footer
from France who wasn’t projected as a premier big man, but given the time and
patience to prove otherwise. The 27th pick in 2013, Gobert was lavished with a
rich contract extension before this season and then posted career average highs
in points (14.0, with a career-high 35 against the Knicks), rebounds (12.8) and
blocks (2.6), the last two among the NBA leaders.
Despite losing Gobert in Game 1, the Jazz stole the opener by playing a
disciplined game, giving themselves a chance to win at the end and refusing to
play the role of victim without their starting center.
“We felt and knew that a lot of people were counting us out when he went down,”
said Johnson.
Throughout his career, Johnson made a habit of taking crucial shots, first in
Phoenix, then Atlanta and even with the Brooklyn Nets even though his level of
play began to slip with age. The Jazz signed him as a free agent to add to their
young mix and bring experience, which was helpful Saturday night in LA with the
game on the line. Johnson went isolation on Jamal Crawford and then used an
inside move to score over Crawford and a late-arriving DeAndre Jordan. His 21st
point led the Jazz in scoring.
Not only did Jazz coach Quin Snyder keep Johnson on the floor, the coach refused
to call timeout after Chris Paul tied the game at 95-all with 13 seconds left,
electing to keep the Clippers from setting up defensively.
Utah is expected to provide an update on Gobert’s condition sometime Sunday.
