Utah Jazz-Houston Rockets: Gobert and Capela lock horns

While a pair of high-scoring guards grab the headlines, the battle between Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela looms large over the Utah Jazz-Houston Rockets affair.

UPDATE: Capela has been ruled out of the contest due to illness.

Monday’s game between the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets is kind of a big deal. Both teams are deeply entrenched in playoff races — the Rockets are battling with the Golden State Warriors for the West’s top seed, while the Jazz are fighting with five other teams for one of four spots. So it should be a hot one with Houston.

The bout will also feature a prime battle between high-scoring guards in James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Not to mention former Jazzman Joe Johnson’s first game against his old team. Having said that, the match-up that’s got me hot and bothered will happen in the paint.

What they do on the court usually isn’t sexy to the casual fan, but make no mistake about it — Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela are at the core of their clubs’ attacks. The Stifle Tower’s efforts aren’t news, but Capela’s might be.

He may not be an All-NBA guy, but Capela has evolved over each of his four NBA seasons into a legitimate force down low. This season, he’s averaging a career-high 14.5 points per game. He also leads the league in effective field goal percentage and boasts a top-five individual defensive rating.

He was on fire during win No. 11 of the Rockets’ current 12-game streak against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Capela scored 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 boards in that game. But his impact has been felt throughout — his 15.3 net rating over that span actually eclipses Harden’s.

Meanwhile, Gobert’s effect on the Jazz has been equally pronounced over Utah’s stretch of 12 wins in 13 tries. The Jazz are outscoring opponents by that same margin — 15.3 points per 100 possessions — when Gobert’s has been on the floor.

Defensively, though, the Jazz have taken it to another level since their hot play began. The team is allowing just 95 points/100 poss. over those same 13 games. Utah’s offense may not have returned since the All-Star break, but the Gobert-anchored D is running strong.

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The head-to-head battle between Gobert and Capela has been something of a grind historically. Capela’s team has come away with five wins to Gobert’s four over nine meetings. And both players are averaging under 10 points and 1.4 blocks per game.

If one can gain an edge over the other as they battle down low for buckets, blocks and boards, it could be the difference in an important game for both squads.

So while Mitchell and Harden exchange home-run shots, keep your eyes peeled to the bump and grind ball under the basket.