Rudy Gobert’s Hands
Rudy Gobert is such a talented player, particularly on the defensive end. His ability to block and alter shots, clog the lane and serve as an elite rim protector make him the anchor of the Jazz defense. It’s one thing for an opposing player to get past their initial defender, it’s another thing entirely for them to have to deal with the help defense of a looming Gobert in the paint.
At 2.2 blocks and 10.3 rebounds per game, Gobert is an undeniable expert at his craft. There’s no question why the Jazz were so eager to sign him to an extension and keep him on board for the long haul.
However, despite the unending hope that eventually Rudy’s offensive game would catch up somewhat with his defensive abilities, that has yet to truly happen. Gobert has never averaged double figures in scoring and has yet to find a way to utilize his incredible length to create an overwhelming advantage on offense.
Yes, he’s a pro at power dunks and tip-ins, but unfortunately beyond that his offensive arsenal is less than spectacular.
Mr. Gobert...cleanup on aisle two... 💪 pic.twitter.com/8CbpQVpcqc
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 13, 2016
And a big contributor to this has been his inability to catch the ball at times. Those same hands that are capable of swatting the ball twenty rows up into the stands or punching home a monster jam, also seem to have a hard time doing the simpler task of catching and controlling the ball in the paint.
The Jazz have so many slick passers on their team in the likes of George Hill, Rodney Hood, Boris Diaw and Gordon Hayward. There’s been many occasions when one of them has been able to draw in defenders and then dish to a wide open Rudy. If he’s ready for it, it often leads to an easy bucket.
Unfortunately, there’s also many times when the pass comes in on target, but Gobert can’t seem to keep the handle and instead fumbles the ball out of bounds or into the hands of an opponent.
For the next couple Jazz games, make it a point to watch Gobert. If one of the Jazz wings tries to slip him a quick pass, quite often he tends to mishandle it and struggles to hold onto the ball. These mishandles are a big reason why Gobert is averaging nearly two turnovers per game, more than any of the Jazz guards and second only to Hayward on the team.
This is something that has to change. Gobert’s lack of scoring production could receive a huge boost if he’s able to control the ball and capitalize on easy looks. As soon as he becomes more comfortable catching the ball off of quick passes, he’ll almost instantly become a more confident and steady offensive player.