Rudy Gobert Making An Impact, Flagrant Foul May Be No Accident

Dec 3, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center

(27) returns to the court after being called for a flagrant foul during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz may be on a seven game losing streak, but second year stud Rudy Gobert continues to make an impact on the floor, particularly in second half comeback bids that fall short.

With a tendency to dig a big hole early, the Jazz are the third-worst second quarter team in the NBA — interestingly, when Gobert has played the most minutes, 106. For whatever reason, the massive Frenchman seems to pick up steam as the game progresses. We saw it last night in the third quarter again, the Toronto Raptors going on an 8-0 run as soon the Jazz’s best rim defender checked out.

The Jazz are giving up a dismal 28.0 points in second quarters in 2014-15, then make up ground after halftime adjustments. Utah is the fifth-best third quarter NBA team giving up a shade over 23 points in three Qs, thanks in large part to plays from Rudy Gobert. Coming into the game against the Raps:

"Inside of this short 18 game season something dramatic has changed with Rudy Gobert.In the first 9 games of the season the Jazz defense with Gobert on the floor allowed 108.2 pts per 100 possessions.  In the last 9 games it has allowed just 96.7 pts per 100 possessions.The answer may be rebounding.  In the first 9 games of the season with Gobert on the floor the Jazz garnered just 69.8% of defensive rebounds.  Over the last 9 games the Jazz have grabbed79.9% of defensive rebounds with Gobert on the floor.In the first 9 games of the season teams shot 67.9% in the restricted area with Gobert on the floor and took 34% of their shots in the restricted area.   Since then they have shot 61.8% in the restricted area while taking 39% of their shots in the restricted area.Moreover, in the first 9 games of the season the Jazz were -8.8 per 100 possessions Gobert was on the floor.   In the last 9 games the Jazz are +2.5 with Gobert on the floor and -11.3 when he is off.–David Locke, Locked on Jazz"

Gobert’s third quarter numbers are his best, followed by his final stanza stats.

In third quarters, Gobert is scoring 12.7 points per game per 48 minutes with a plus-minus of 11.6. It’s no coincidence the Jazz as a team have a 12.0 third quarter plus-minus. The Jazz also experience their best three-point shooting in the third, probably due in part to Gobert’s paint threat, causing opposing defenses to collapse.

It may be that Gobert’s unintentional-appearing flagrant foul wasn’t quite as innocent as it looked.

Unfortunately, the Jazz also have their worst free throw shooting numbers at the same time Gobert is on the floor in the third, although he has improved there, dramatically. Formerly a target of the infamous Hack-a-Shaq strategy, shooting a dreary .492 free throws as a rookie last year, Gobert has put in enough work shooting to make a massive leap to .667 this season. Teams won’t be able to target him for intentional fouls any longer.

Gobert has played his second-most minutes in fourth quarters this year, coincidentally (likely not coincidentally), the only other quarter Utah doesn’t possess a negative overall plus-minus in.

It’s interesting to note, despite what Locke pondered, that Gobert experiences his worst rebounding numbers per 48 minutes in the quarter he’s is best in offensively, the third. But no matter what the case is, Rudy is clearly making an impact in the second half of games, frightening would-be paint menaces into changed shots in attempts.

Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

It’s very possible that Quin Snyder makes a change in an attempt to reduce the shoveling the team has to do after the first quarter. And despite sentiments, it might be sooner rather than later. Losing streaks can have a detrimental effect to a team’s psyche that can have long-lasting effects.

2014-15 Two-man Defensive Rating Playing with Big Man Teammate

• 62 minutes, Rudy Gobert/Enes Kanter 106.2 (OffRtg 101.7)

• 191 minutes, Rudy Gobert/Trevor Booker 102.1 (OffRtg 99.4)

• 7 minutes, Rudy Gobert/Derrick Favors 83.1 (OffRtg 120.6)

That last is the one fans are starting to make noise over in an increasing murmur. Tired of losing, fans want to see if the slivers of brilliance can translate into a few Ws with Favor sliding to the 4-spot. Certainly, it’s Utah’s obvious best set of defensive anchors to have patrolling the paint.

Should the slide continue in the 801, and Gobert continues to make leaps in limited minutes, it might be an experiment closer to Snyder’s future than he’s intimated previously. Coaches respond to players who listen and apply lessons.

The other night when Arron Afflalo took out Alec Burks, Snyder took an opportunity to teach.

"Another clue about what Snyder wants from his big men – if not to an illegal degree — came after a flagrant takedown of Alec Burks by Denver’s Arron Afflalo. Snyder pointed at Gobert on the bench, telling him, “That’s what I’m talking about.”–Kurt Kragthorpe, Salt Lake Tribune"

The very next game guess who got assessed a Flagrant foul 1 for a shot on Tyler Hansbrough? Yep, you guessed it: Rudy Gobert. It may be that Gobert’s unintentional-appearing flagrant foul wasn’t quite as innocent as it looked.

While the foul appeared to be incidental to much of Jazzland, Raptors fans were quite incensed over it. Whatever the case, Gobert did exactly what Quin had asked of him the game before in playing with more force and purpose.