Jazz's Gobert thinks he's currently NBA's best center
The Utah Jazz are surging up the standings in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, having won four straight games and 11 of their last 13, with starting point guard George Hill missing a majority of those outings.
One of the team's more noticeable standouts during this ongoing stretch has been "The Stifle Tower" Rudy Gobert, who's averaging 15.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.2 rejections on an incredible 76.5 percent shooting from the field in 34.8 minutes.
With numbers like that paired with Utah's string of success, it's no wonder the lean and mean 7-foot-1 Frenchman thinks so highly of himself at the moment.
"To be honest, right now, I think it's me," Gobert told ESPN's Tim MacMahon about who he feels is the best center in the Association. "But it’s a long season. I just try to take every game as a challenge. The hardest thing is to do it (for) the full season."
The Jazz have had a net rating of 11.8 when the 24-year-old is on the floor, which plummets all the way to -1.2 when he hits the bench. They've also outscored the opposition by 130 points during this 13-game run.
What strengthens his claim of being the best of the best at the five spot is who he's been tasked with defending as of late, with the likes of Hassan Whiteside, DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns, and most recently Marc Gasol all struggling against the long arms of Gobert.
Stats Comparison: Gobert vs. NBA Centers (Last 13 Games)
| Player | MPG | PTS | FG% | RBS | BLK | Team Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudy Gobert | 34.8 | 15.1 | 76.5 | 12.9 | 3.2 | 11-2 |
| Marc Gasol | 34.6 | 21.9 | 48 | 7.3 | 1.2 | 8-4 |
| Hassan Whiteside | 34.6 | 18.3 | 55.4 | 14.5 | 2.2 | 4-9 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 35.5 | 22 | 43.8 | 12.7 | 1.5 | 3-10 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 35.5 | 29.9 | 44.6 | 11.9 | 2 | 5-7 |
(courtesy: stats.NBA.com)
"It’s always the biggest challenge when you play one of the best guys at your position," Gobert said. "Every time I play one of those guys, I try to stop them, and at the same time try to stop their team. I feel like if you win the game, I win the challenge."
It was Gasol who was perhaps stifled most against Gobert, missing 18 of his 22 field-goal attempts for just eight points in 36 minutes during Utah's 82-73 victory on Sunday night. Gobert, on the other hand, finished with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds while turning in a flawless 9-for-9 shooting performance.
"He’s been consistently getting better,” said teammate and fellow Frenchman Boris Diaw. "That’s because he’s been listening, not getting out of his role, not trying to do things that he’s not comfortable with. He’s been working on certain parts of the game and brought it to the game."