The Utah Jazz will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and in order for the Jazz to come out on top, Rudy Gobert will need to make his presence felt.
The Utah Jazz have been sputtering since the end of the All-Star break. Coming off of an 11-game win streak where they had a top six offense and defense, they have looked lifeless at times. They have been turning the ball over at an alarming rate, and their three-point shooting has bottomed out.
Most of this has happened during the second half of outings. They’ve typically performed well during the first half of games, but have then come out flat in the second. Since the All-Star break, the Jazz have shot 36 percent from three during the first half. On the flip side, they have shot a league-worst 11.1 percent from three during the second half. That is nearly 10 percent lower than any other team and has resulted in only four total three-pointers made in three games.
For the third straight game after a good shooting first quarter the Jazz aren't hitting shots. Jazz are 11 of 34 since the 1st quarter and 4 of 16 from 3
— David Locke (@DLocke09) February 27, 2018
With the high scoring Timberwolves coming to town, the Jazz will need to change that trend if they are going to get back to their winning ways.
Minnesota is 38-27 and currently the third best team in the Western Conference. They are going through a rough patch, though. Jimmy Butler went down with a knee injury, and now they are just 6-4 over their last 10 games. This could be a big game for the Jazz, and will be crucial in their fight for the playoffs.
The key matchup that I am going to be watching is Rudy Gobert vs. Karl-Anthony Towns. Both are widely considered to be top five talents at the center position, but they could not be more different in their styles of play.
Rudy Gobert is more of a traditional center. He is a situational scorer, who primarily is set up by others. He gets points by rolling hard to the basket, and getting put backs off of missed shots. He is an elite rebounder, and we know the destructive force he is on the defensive end. If he had remained healthy all season, he would likely be the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year.
Karl-Anthony Towns is anything but traditional. He was one of the first to take on the “Unicorn” title. He can do damage in the post or out on the perimeter, where he is shooting 40 percent from three-point land this season. He can also handle the ball like a guard, which makes it possible for him to create his own shot off the dribble.
With Jimmy Butler out, Karl-Anthony Towns is going to be the primary guy to keep in check against the Wolves. As he goes, they go. The assignment will be given to Rudy Gobert, and in the past, he has taken these matchups personally.
On the season, Towns is averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds per game. He is currently one of only five players in the NBA averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds, and he and DeMarcus Cousins were the only ones averaging over 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns has recorded a double-double in a league-high 54 games this season (168 career). Towns has now grabbed 10+ rebounds in 13 of the last 14 games. He is averaging 14.6 rebounds per game over the last five contests.
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) March 1, 2018
The advantage Gobert has over Towns is clearly on the defensive end. Since Gobert returned to the Jazz lineup on December 19th, the Jazz have had the number one defense in the league. By a full two points! Gobert has been the main proponent of that. He is averaging 14 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks during that stretch.
The last time these two teams met was way back in November, and it was during the first stretch of games that Gobert was out with a knee injury. Towns had a terrific game, where he scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
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Things won’t come as easily this time. If Gobert can limit Towns to under 20 points, while also making him work on the defensive end by being active offensively, the Jazz should put themselves in a terrific position to grab a crucial win against another Western Conference playoff team.