1) Gobert and Mitchell are still really, really good
I know I alluded to the fact that Mitchell has been up and down so far, but one thing remains crystal clear — this kid is as legit as they come.
His shots weren’t really falling during Utah’s first three games (he shot just 34 percent overall and 28 percent from distance), but he still steered the Jazz’s ship. And against the Rockets, he was masterful, dropping a 38 piece, dishing seven assists and nailing four triples.
After that game, he talked about getting out of his own head and putting in extra work in the film room with teammates to get right. That’s exactly what you want out of your star player and Mitchell has consistently shown he’s not above putting in the time and effort to be great. Even as a second-year player.
Meanwhile, Gobert has just been dominant. He’s scoring (14.5 points), boarding (nearly 13 rebounds) and continuing to own the D (2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. What’s more is he’s getting to the line at a great rate and actually hitting his free throws, checking in at 74 percent from the stripe.
Last year, he was great — and underrated offensive player and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Now, he looks like a more complete player than ever before.