Key Performer – Rudy Gobert
In this final game of the regular season, it seems only fitting that the guy who has emerged as Utah’s heart and soul, Rudy Gobert, be pinned as the key performer. He has been consistently solid for the Jazz since the All-Star break and is making an extremely strong case for both the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Most Improved Player Award.
Rudy Gobert was great Monday night in the win against the Warriors as he put up 17 points and 18 rebounds and also played phenomenally in the latest contest against the Spurs as he finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Those kind of big-time double-doubles have pretty much become the norm for the Stifle Tower and given that the center position is likely San Antonio’s biggest area of weakness, he should be able to have a monster game once again.
Utah was the most injury-impacted team in the NBA this season. Still got to 50 wins because it had @rudygobert27, the best C in the league. pic.twitter.com/WdKcWvas93
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) April 11, 2017
That isn’t a knock at all on Dewayne Dedmon and what he’s been able to accomplish this season, but more than anything it’s a compliment to how good San Antonio’s other four starters are. It’s hard to find a match-up where Utah has a significant advantage, but at the center position the gap is certainly the widest.
The Spurs also bring Pau Gasol off the bench who of course is a handful, but the aging star still isn’t as daunting enough of a frontcourt presence to be able to outmatch Rudy Gobert. Therefore, given Rudy’s recent string of incredible games and the favorable match-ups he should enjoy tonight, I’m pinning him as the key performer of this final bout against the Spurs.