The NBA season officially begins on Wednesday night, and the match-up everyone will be watching during the Utah Jazz/Sacramento Kings game is Rudy Gobert and Willie Cauley-Stein.
Ladies and gentleman, Utah Jazz basketball is back. Big things are expected out of this year’s squad, and getting off to a good start will be key. Utah’s first test will be in Sacramento taking on the Kings, who the Jazz beat by 39 last Thursday.
It was really a dominating win for Utah to close out the preseason. Sacramento may not be the most talented team, but the Jazz cannot take them lightly. The Kings will be seeking some revenge, and would love to snag an opening night victory.
Whenever these two teams square off, Rudy Gobert and Willie Cauley-Stein seem to always have a fun duel. I expect that trend to continue on Wednesday night.
Gobert dominated that preseason game against Sacramento, going for 18 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes of action.
WE'RE TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP pic.twitter.com/oaLIUIZYIV
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 17, 2018
Cauley-Stein is a guy who has had some good individual success against Gobert in the past. He scored 16 points in 19 minutes against the Jazz last time out. He’s aiming to be more consistent for the Kings as a four-year pro looking to get paid next summer.
If Gobert can help the Jazz get off to a rock solid start like he did last Thursday, it would go a long way. When Gobert is protecting the basket, crashing the offensive glass, rolling aggressively to the rim and finishing, he’s as important as anyone in the league in terms of difference making.
You’ve got to expect the Kings to throw some more bodies at Gobert this time around and be more physical with him. Gobert needs to solidify his dominance early in this game right away and take the soul out of the Kings team.
With Cauley-Stein, he’s shown that he isn’t just a guy that just sticks around the basket. He’s capable of hitting the mid-range shot and he’s a good passer. He’s a tough cover given his athleticism and all-around skill.
In conclusion, you just have to put that preseason game in the rear view mirror. The regular season is completely different from the preseason. There’s going to be some jitters and excitement, but if the Jazz play their brand of basketball and keep it rolling inside and out, they should be in good shape.
It’s going to be a fun match-up between Gobert and the Jazz against Cauley-Stein and the Kings.