Minnesota Timberwolves star center Rudy Gobert was once thought to be a playoff liability during his time with the Utah Jazz.
One series in particular, the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers, seemed to have cemented the notion in the eyes and minds of media members and NBA fans across the country. The Clippers’ stable of perimeter scorers continually forced switches onto Gobert and scored in isolation, while his Jazz teammates offered little help or resistance themselves, expecting Gobert to clean up for them like he had for years.
“He’s one of the few guys in the league that you have to game plan for their defense,” Nicolas Batum, who played on that Clippers team, told ESPN recently for a story about Gobert.