2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 4: Lowry Lives, Rondo Renaissance And Utah Misses Gobert

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Apr 15, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) is helped off the court by teammate guard George Hill (3) and center Boris Diaw (33) after going down to an injury in the opening seconds in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

As It Turns Out, The Jazz Miss Their Best Player

Gordon Hayward is the face of the Utah Jazz. He’s the face of the franchise, he’s the face of Captain America and he’s the face of white children across the country hoping to shed the “sneaky” part of that “sneaky good athlete” description for white dudes in professional sports.

But Rudy Gobert was probably Utah’s best player this season, and despite stealing Game 1 on a Joe Johnson buzzer-beater without him on the floor for more than 17 seconds, even the Los Angeles Clippers weren’t going down that easy.

Clippers have shot 79% inside 5 feet this series when the Jazz have only 1 traditional PF/C on floor, compared to 62% with 2 bigs on floor. pic.twitter.com/OSGSlI9ENe
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 19, 2017

Without the league-leading shot-blocker and one of two Defensive Player of the Year frontrunners in Game 2, Utah was absolutely overpowered near the basket. The Clippers put up a whopping 60 points in the paint Tuesday night, finishing the game with 10 dunks.

The Jazz, meanwhile, had 38 points in the paint and only one dunk.

It wasn’t a blowout by any means, and the Jazz should feel good about heading back to Utah tied 1-1. But if Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan continue to show a renewed sense of aggression around the basket, the return of the Gob-stopper may decide Utah’s playoff fate.