Utah Jazz-Spurs key matchup: Rudy Gobert vs LaMarcus Aldridge

Rudy Gobert will be pitted against All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge as the Utah Jazz look to sweep the season series with the San Antonio Spurs.

As the NBA regular season begins to wind down, it seems as though every night we are faced with a crucial matchup that could be the determining factor in the final playoff seeding. That will once again be the case, as the Utah Jazz will be facing the current sixth-seeded San Antonio Spurs.

In the past, no matter how good the Jazz have been, it seemed like the Spurs were their kryptonite.  That has not been the case this season, as the Jazz have won all three of the previous season matchups, and in fairly convincing fashion. They’ve averaged 107 points per game, and have shot an incredible 48 percent from 3-point range.

They’ll need to match that level of production if they are going to come out on top on Friday. If they can, they will be able to move up into the No. 6 seed, depending on the outcome of the Wolves-Knicks game.

The key matchup to watch is going to be between potential Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert and All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge.

With the curious absence of San Antonio star Kawhi Leonard, Aldridge has been the No. 1 option for the Spurs this season, and he has delivered in a big way. He is scoring nearly 23 points per game, which would be his highest scoring mark since leaving the Trail Blazers after the 2015 season.

The Spurs have an offensive rating that is 6.3 points better with Aldridge on the court than when he is off.

On top of the scoring, he is also anchoring the second-best defensive team in the league. The Spurs are currently tied with the Jazz with a 101.7 defensive rating on the season.

The Spurs are currently in the midst of a five-game winning streak, and during that streak, Aldridge has been on another level. He is averaging close to 30 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. They have a net rating of 17.4 during that stretch, which is tops in the NBA, just ahead of the Jazz.

In order for Utah to come out on top, Gobert is going to have to be a dominant force in the paint. On both sides of the floor.

Gobert has actually been one of the few bigs who can match the production Aldridge’s net production. In the month of March, he has put up averages of 19 points, 14 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. That has led to the Jazz have an NBA-best and absurd defensive rating of 90, and a net rating of 15.2.

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This will be a mammoth game for the Jazz and their hopes to move up the standings in the Western Conference playoff race. Heading into the game, the Jazz are 41-31, and San Antonio is 42-30. If Gobert can dominate this matchup and limit Aldridge to a subpar game, the Jazz should have a terrific shot at coming out on top.

A victory over the Spurs would bring the two teams even in the standings, and because the Jazz own the tiebreaker, could move them back into sixth place. Both teams want to make the playoffs, but no team wants to finish as a No. 7 or 8 seed, earning a date to play the Warriors or the Rockets in the first round.

Tune in, because this will be a monumental game for the fate of both teams playoff hopes.